Ratepayers call for Cogta inquiry

The Buffalo City Ratepayers Forum wants the cooperative governance MEC to investigate maladministration at the metro.

BCRF chair Christo Theart accused the city managers of mismanagement that led to the catastrophic two-week strike, which crippled businesses and caused an “estimated loss of R200m revenue”.

Theart said the costly strike could have been avoided if mu nicipal officials did their jobs.

In a letter, published on Page 7, Theart writes: “We have requested in writing that Cogta MEC Fikile Xasa investigate this as a matter of maladministration in terms of section 106 of the Municipal Systems Act 32 of 2000. The metro’s people need to understand why it [the strike] happened and who was responsible.”

Theart said the municipality had three years to complete the job evaluation project, which could have prevented the strike. “This is unacceptable to the ratepayers of this city. Why was it not done?”

Cogta spokesperson Mamkeli Ngam said: “We haven't received the letter. We can only apply our mind and respond appropriately.”

BCM spokesperson Samkelo Ngwenya said: "The mayor gave comprehensive feedback to residents on the causes of the illegal strike and the interventions the institution made plus the outcomes.

“It would be counterproduc- tive to engage in a public spat with the association [forum], especially since we have an open door policy to engage with stakeholders on key service delivery matters that concern them. I am sure management will be open to the idea of engaging any stakeholders that wants more. We are now directing our energies and committed to mop-up operations to clean the city and bring things better to normal."

It is clear from statements made by BCM about Samwu’s strike that the core of unhappiness was the omission to complete job evaluations as agreed on three year’s earlier.

This resulted in a R50m once-off payment of R10,000 to each of the 5,000 employees as an “apology”.

This is unacceptable to the ratepayers of this city. There were three years to complete job evaluations. Why was it not done?

The municipal manager, as head of the administration, should have seen to it.

Each head of department, including the head of human resources, surely submits quarterly and annual progress reports to the municipal manager.

S/he has meetings with the directors every month. Yet this was not picked up?

The council should have ensured that administration completed the job evaluations through various oversight mechanisms:

● The portfolio committee on human resources;

● The audit committee;

● The performance audit committee (where quarterly and annual reports from each directorate are discussed); and

● The public accounts committee (where oversight over executive functionaries of the metro occurs).

None of these committees ever discussed the completion of these job evaluations?

Not even the councillor whose portfolio is human resources picked this up?

It is highly unlikely that this issue was not identified through oversight, unless it is a totally dysfunctional municipality.

Samwu claims that its services include regulating relations between its members and their employers and resolving disputes between them.

Likewise, section 55 of the Systems Act requires a municipal manager to “promote sound labour relations”.

They could not meet and resolve this R200m issue?

The ratepayers believe this can be termed a matter of maladministration on behalf of the municipality.

We have requested in writing that Cogta MEC Fikile Xasa investigate this as a matter of maladministration in terms of section 106 of the Municipal Systems Act 32 of 2000.

The metro’s people need to understand why it happened and who was responsible.

We feel that the city must deal with this issue in an appropriate manner to ensure that it does not happen again.

The city cannot afford the bad publicity it has received through this strike, the cost of which may even be more than the estimated direct cost of R200m.

All of us must work together to ensure that an enabling environment is established to grow the city and create jobs.

– Christo Theart, Chair of Buffalo City Ratepayers Forum