Cape Town - The South African Municipal Workers’ Union (Samwu) has demanded more dialogue with the City of Cape Town or they may intensify demonstrations “until they are heard”.
A group of members on Saturday gathered at the Civic Centre where they accused the City of Cape Town of, among other things, racism and unfair disciplinary processes on shop stewards.
They handed over a memorandum of demands calling for among others, the intervention of Mayor Dan Plato in a case involving a traffic services supervisor who is currently facing three disciplinary processes.
They said they want to be recognised more for the work they do.
Samwu regional deputy secretary Bridgette Nkomana said they want a meeting with Plato within seven days, failure of which they will continue to intensify demonstrations.
“We also have one instance in Mitchell’s Plain where a senior law enforcement officer has been running a tuck-shop from a Council premises, amongst his goods are expired products.
“It has been alleged that some of his products have been taken from the warehouse where the confiscated goods of informal traders are kept.
“A case has been lodged, but unlike other staff who are summarily suspended, this senior law enforcement officer is allowed to keep on working while his hearing is ongoing, and allowed to intimidate the whistle-blower on a daily basis. Therefore one can clearly see that discipline in the City of Cape Town is applied directly. It has become so cheap to dismiss ordinary workers today,” said Nkomana.
The City has denied allegations of unfair treatment of staff.
City spokesperson Luthando Tyhalibhongo confirmed a Samwu-raised incident of insubordination occurred during April 2020 whereby the employee’s senior failed to take the proper disciplinary action against the staff member.
“The City of Cape Town notes the allegations and memorandum of demands made by Samwu. The City conducts all its disciplinary processes in a fair manner, free of racial discrimination, and as consistent as reasonably possible. The mentioned senior staff member is the same individual who lodged the complaint with Samwu. This individual is currently the subject of a disciplinary hearing for being insubordinate against line management on various occasions. The complainant’s disciplinary hearing is currently in progress. With reference to the complaint regarding the senior law enforcement officer, the matter was appropriately dealt with in a disciplinary hearing where the member was charged and found guilty on two charges and appropriately penalised,” said Tyhalibhongo.
“No allegation of the employee taking items from the City’s Informal Trading Unit stores was made nor was any evidence led in the disciplinary hearing to this effect. No allegation of expired foodstuff was made either,” he said.
Cape Times