Durban - Dozens of part-time municipal employees, some of whom have worked for the city for nearly 10 years, are being let go to make way for more than 100 former Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK) veterans who will take their positions.
The eThekwini Municipality have put on notice the workers, many of whom work in the security and Land Invasion Unit, so it can employ 113 MK veterans as part of a government policy to draft military veterans.
A report in the Sunday Tribune, sister newspaper to the Daily News, said 39 of the 113 MK vets had records for crimes including assault, drug-trafficking and theft.
They were set to be employed as safety and security personnel. The Daily News understands that some would be deployed to the city’s fire and rescue services.
However, security industry regulations exclude anyone with a criminal record.
The veterans were meant to have begun working on May 1, but city manager, S’bu Sithole, had not yet signed off on their contracts.
Tozi Mthethwa, head of the city’s communications unit, said on Sunday that the MK vets would be part of an “internal security team” that would provide security services such as guarding municipal assets.
She said all of those who would work in security would have to undergo clearance.
Mthethwa did not confirm the exact number of veterans involved, saying the “number would be based on the need”.
DA councillor, Heinz de Boer, a member of the city’s executive committee (Exco), said he was flabbergasted by the city’s attempt to bypass Exco.
“The city cannot make these decisions behind the scenes… For them to employ these MK vets without the permission of the Exco is wrong,” he said.
De Boer noted a report on the city establishing an internal bodyguarding unit was brought before the Exco in March, but a decision was deferred.
A report presented to the Exco revealed the municipality had spent more than R36 million a year on private bodyguards to protect 22 councillors it deemed “high risk”.
In an effort to cut the bill, officials proposed to establish an internal VIP unit, the annual cost is estimated at R31 799 760 - a saving of R4.9m.
The matter was deferred by Sithole who said there were “outstanding issues” in the report that he needed to clarify.
Mdu Nkosi, of the IFP, said the move was “nepotism”.
“There are thousands of qualified people across the city who do not have jobs. How long must the city be held to ransom by these veterans? A few months ago, they invaded RDP houses because they claimed not to have houses,” he said.
DA caucus leader, Zwakele Mncwango, said they would not allow the Exco to be undermined and would challenge the decision.
Sithole and chairman of the security committee, Zandile Gumede, could not be reached.
Daily News