Union shuts down dept’s head office
THE FATE of 134 Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) workers, whose contracts were terminated at the end of last month by the Northern Cape Department of Sport, Arts and Culture, will be finalised tomorrow.
The provincial department’s head office in Kimberley was shut down yesterday after National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu) members blockaded the entrance to the premises, demanding the reinstatement of the EPWP workers.
Nehawu members and Public Service Association (PSA) members gathered, under the watchful eyes of the police, in front of the premises yesterday morning. The protest will continue today.
The department’s provincial office, as well as its Frances Baard District office, were closed yesterday and will remain closed today, only reopening tomorrow, to “protect employees and members of the public during the protest action”.
The 134 EPWP workers were issued with termination letters by the department, with effect from the end of last month.
According to the department, the termination of the contracts was based on the EPWP ministerial guidelines, which stipulate that contract workers must be temporarily employed for a period of six months.
The department added that EPWP workers must exit the system to make way for a new intake of contract workers.
Nehawu and PSA, however, rubbished the department’s claim that the workers had been employed for only six months.
The branch chairperson of Nehawu in the department, Itumeleng Modise, said that all the EPWP workers had been in the department’s employ for many years.
“There are some people who have been employed in the department for six years, while others have been working for between seven and nine years. The department employed these workers for years on end and now it wants to throw them out onto the street.
“Nobody would embarrass themselves by showing up for work if they knew that the contract was only for six months. The department is trying to make the workers out to be liars,” Modise said.
He added that the union would not drop the matter.
“Management said they will discuss this matter and will provide feedback on whether the workers will be reappointed on Thursday (tomorrow). As the union we will also engage with our national office bearers. We cannot let this matter die as many families will be left without an income after the department has used these workers for years.”
Intimidation
Modise also accused the department of using the police as an intimidation tactic.
“The department called the police to intimidate the workers. Their plan was for the police to remove the workers forcefully and make it look like the workers were trespassing. None of the members were rowdy or violent, yet the police were called to restore so-called order,” he said.
A circular letter, signed by the Head of Department, Ruth Palm, on Monday this week stated that the department would take the necessary precautions to ensure that work continued at the head office.
According to the letter, the EPWP contracts came to an end at the end of September and these workers would not be allowed on the department’s premises.
The letter also states that from October 3 (yesterday) access to all department sites would be for “permanent and fixed contract employees only”.
“Law enforcement agencies will be requested to oversee the process of possible intimidation or victimisation of those who want to work,” the letter states.
Department spokesperson, Conrad Fortune, said the decision was taken to close the head office yesterday to ensure the safety of officials.
“The Department of Sport, Arts and Culture (Provincial Office and Frances Baard District Office only) would like to confirm that we are closed until Thursday, due to the fact that the employees, who are currently embarking on an illegal industrial action, are intimidating officials who want to work and unfortunately the situation has escalated to a point where the department cannot guarantee the safety of the officials. The Department is therefore closed as the safety and security of the officials are of paramount importance,” Fortune said.
“We would furthermore like to apologise to members of the public for the inconvenience caused, but as much as the safety of the employees are important to us, so is the safety of the clients we render services to.”
Fortune said that the police were dispatched yesterday to ensure that the protests did not become violent.
“We were forced to request the South African Police Service to intervene and be on site at the department in order to ensure that the property of the department is not vandalised and damaged and furthermore that no person, be it an employee or member of the public, is intimidated or injured by those who are protesting.”
Fortune added that no new EPWP workers had been contracted yet.
“The department has ended the contracts of the 134 EPWP workers and at this stage no new EPWP workers will be employed.
“As mentioned previously, the contracts of EPWP workers, employed within the department, ended on September 30, 2017 and have not been renewed. The termination of the said contracts is based on the EPWP Ministerial Guidelines, which is a temporary job creation opportunity.
“As part of trying to get to an amicable solution to end the current illegal industrial action, we have engaged and met with the provincial leadership of Nehawu to discuss the matter and to see how we can resolve it,” Fortune said.