DURBAN - SERVICES in the troubled Umkhanyakude Municipality were brought to a halt after workers blocked all exits and entrances of the municipality.
The protests started on Tuesday and continued on Wednesday. Workers are demanding the reinstatement of their cellphone allowances cancelled in May allegedly by the administrator.
According to the municipal manager Mxolisi Nkosi, all 45 managers, including himself as well as 12 councillors and the mayor were affected by the administrator’s decision. Adding that they were forced to use money from their own pockets to buy airtime and data to do municipality work.
Nkosi said it was difficult for him and the managers to perform their duties without being able to communicate with subordinates.
He further stated the administrator cancelled these benefits unilaterally without any consultation with himself and staff.
He said the administrator was taken to the bargaining council and agreed that he would pay the workers retrospectively but has failed to honour the agreement.
The personal assistant to the mayor, Saishen Govender, told Daily News on Wednesday that he and the mayor were supposed to get the cellphones and laptops. However, the administrator had not given these to them.
Linda Sakha, who is the local secretary of the South African Municipal Workers Union, said after the administrator ignored his own commitment, the workers felt there was no other option but to resort to protest action to force the administrator to listen.
“We have realised that maybe the only language he understands is this one, so we decided to withdraw our labour so that we can be listened to. Workers have decided to block all gates here. The y are angry at the decision of the administrator who has no regard for the law.
Labour relations specialist Bantu Sibiya, who represented affected staff, said the bargaining council last month ruled that the employer reinstate benefits by paying back retrospectively, which meant payments must be backdated.
“The respondent agreed to pay without arguing and giving the reasons for his decision.”
The municipality has been plagued by administrative and political problems since last year, which prompted Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs MEC Sipho Hlomuka to intervene and appointed the administrator early in the year.
Attempts to get administrator Bamba Ndwandwe were unsuccessful.
Daily News