SAMWU MEDIA STATEMENT THE BRIEFING TOOK PLACE AT THE LYDENBURG COMMITTEE ON 14 JUNE 213 1. First and for most we would like to take this special opportunity and convey our boundless best wishes for Nelson Mandela who is currently in Hospital for over five days now. We would like to join the global community, and South Africa as a whole in wishing him a speedily recovery. 2. We communicate, to the community and the entire public on issues that affect our organisation SAMWU from the labour component which the municipal leadership is lambasting on a daily basis for wrong reasons. Segregation has taken its tall figure in the institution and this has instilled low moral to the general staff members. 3. It is sad, to note that as when issues of the labour component are brought to the fore by relevant structures such as SAMWU, comrades are being crucified, suspended and given warnings for articulating decisions of our own constituency, and we are not surprised anyway because the Executive Mayor once wrote an sms to the HOD, requesting him to deal with Mr. Burton Koma and other staff members who are classified as problematic elements to the management and to the executive leadership. 4. The suspension of our Secretary Cde, Willy Tshie who is also the Acting Unit Manager of Lydenburg / Mashishing unit, it’s an apparent evidence towards Mayor’s wishes in dealing with those who refuse succumb to his wisdom. We want to make it clear to the public that the suspension of Cde W Tshie was not procedural to begin with, because we are aware that this leadership wants to replace all unit managers who seem to be challenging the management on issues of labour force and replace them with puppets like they did to comrade Willy Tshie. 5. The suspension of comrade Willy Tshie is well orchestrated political agenda that has been legitimized through institutional process to silence him from speaking decision of his union. In this municipality we got two individuals acting for one position, we pray that the Premier could just come down to witness this fiasco. 6. We want to reiterate to this house that placement is an internal matter, and we agreed as an institution on how we should to implement it, and we are at the stage where we expect our members to be paid what is due to them, and this is non-negotiable, yes we can however consider other challenges like back payments since we understand the difficulties our municipality is undergoing. It is amazing how management used oppose this particular process but now it them who are appointing and placing those who pledge support and alliance to them. 7. SAMWU has noted very serious cliques within the institution that have been established by the entire management and leadership through their sinister style of managing and running the institution. We would like to make it clear to the Executive Mayor to stop calling or subjecting staff members to his office whenever he hears rumours or unfounded micky mouse allegations. He must learn to address issues in an institutional and official way. Political interference must come to an end when it comes to labour matters. 8. There has been a high level of corruption within the institution and this council seem to embrace it with both hands, the Acting Municipal Manager Mr. S Maebela, has sold the council land without any council resolution but council is not acting accordingly. The very same man after his appointment as Director of Corporate, COGTA directed the Executive Mayor to subject him to Security Screening and Vetting as a matter of urgency, but the Mayor is adamant in implementing this decision because the Mayor knows that Mr. Maebela won’t come back if he is screened. 9. We also concern in the manner in which council is operating these days, it has completely degenerated to something else, it is no longer upholding the legislative framework, and e.g. a truck is stolen under a supervision of a tied security, instead of dealing with the security, council resort to suspend junior employees. Since when council deal with disciplinary or suspension of junior staff, it means we are not safe here, the next thing you will be hearing that there is special council meeting that sought to suspend a general worker. Instead of council taking further steps against Maebela it victimizes those who raise the issue of corruption. 10. SAMWU has forwarded a petition to council against Maebela and we are fully aware that the leadership does not want to table it, but we would like to tell the public that even if he can be protected by council, we are going to use other avenues to deal with the matter and this council will be exposed for having embraced corruption. 11. There are number of grave offenses conducted by some staff members but no action taken against them, but those who speak and challenge issues are suspended for no reasons. We are saying if there’s anyone who must be charged, can our internally DC first pronounce the verdict of those who were charged for allegedly stealing municipal R20 million, it is not supposed to be a secret after all. 12. It is sad that while we were championing placement issues, setbacks have manifested in a processes and now this management is intending to implement no work no pay through thump sucking process, without engaging affected parties, because it does not have clear records on who was present and who was not at work. There is a policy that deals with no work no pay principle, not some common sense that we see. We also aware that they don’t have enough money to pay salaries and they are coming up with strategies to reduce a salary bill since last month it is alleged that the salary bill was gotten from a service provider. 13. On posts that are going to be advertised, we would like to make it clear that a priority should be given to the internal staff, and we must be convinced beyond reasonable doubt that the skill required cannot be found internally before we begin to scout outside. 14. We also like to take this opportunity, to thank all media institutions in various capacities for having honoured our invitation. Thank very much.
Posted on: Sat, 15 Jun 2013 16:52:03 +0000
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