Workers’ protest slammed by REC
The ANC Chris Hani regional executive committee (REC) has slammed Samwu-affiliated Enoch Mgijima Municipal workers for defying the ANC executive council’s (Exco) decision to place an administrator locally.
The criticism follows last Thursday’s incident when some municipal workers and Samwu members stormed into a management meeting to introduce newly appointed administrator Vuyo Mlokoti. The workers demanded that he vacate the office.
The group of workers reportedly indicated the local authority did not need an administrator and that a council resolution taken last month rejected the intervention from the department of co-operative governance and traditional affairs (Cogta).
Said resolution was rescinded by council last Friday after claims were made that municipal manager Chris Magwangqana had misled council about the financial status of the municipality.
The Daily Dispatch reported (“Union takes tough stand against Mgijima top official”, September 21) that Mlokoti indicated the disruption by Samwu members came when he was being introduced to the municipality’s management and Magwangqana said he was not comfortable being in the meeting.
The ANC Chris Hani REC secretary Lusanda Sizani said Samwu, as an ANC alliance partner, had no right to defy the party’s decision and remove an ANC-deployed administrator.
“What the Samwu members did is uncalled for. They do not have the right to hire or fire anyone in the municipality. The Chris Hani region has accepted the decision to place an administrator because that is what the local authority needs.”
REC chairman Wongama Gela said the general notion among some people was that Cogta wanted to take over municipal manager Chris Magwangqana’s duties, which was not true.
“The decision to place an administrator has been long overdue because the support and assistance did not work. The terms of reference for the administrator were accepted by council. The stance by Samwu workers not only defies Cogta and Exco’s decision, but a council resolution and that is troublesome and will be dealt with.”
REC treasurer Madoda Papiyane said Magwangqana’s use of the municipality’s equitable share to pay debts was discovered by Cogta and Treasury through its systems.
“He told council the money used to pay municipal debts, such as Eskom and Milowo Trading Enterprise, was recovered through revenue collection.
“Now the municipality sits with virtually no money to ensure service delivery because of this blunder, hence council had to rescind its earlier decision to reject the administrator because it was misled,” Papiyane added.
Samwu secretary in Enoch Mgijima, Thabo Ngwane, could not be reached for comment.