‘Sol turned into a funeral parlour’
THE SOUTH African Municipal Workers Union (Samwu) has called for action to be taken against officials who are apparently printing funeral pamphlets in the printing room at Sol Plaatje Municipality.
Samwu local chairperson Daily Semau recommended that senior officials should be suspended for allegedly failing to take steps to prevent the misuse of municipal resources.
“It is improper to turn the municipality into a funeral parlour. Paper and ink costs money, while the municipality is cash strapped. The employees have been printing the pamphlets since 2018, to date,” said Semau.
“We have no idea which undertakers are making use of the printing services at Sol Plaatje, what rate is charged or where the proceeds of these services are being directed? While recommendations were made that these officials, who were caught red-handed in the printing room, should be charged, up until today no action was taken against them by the director of corporate services.”
Semau added that the municipality could not claim that it did not have money when external companies were contracted to perform its functions.
“Sol Plaatje Municipality continues to outsource arbitration matters and legal services to an external law firm while it has a fully-fledged legal unit and the necessary capacity to conduct these services. It also hired an outside contractor to repair potholes. We cannot understand why municipal officials are continuing to receive car allowances during the lockdown period.”
He criticised the municipality for employing 10 in-house security officers during the Covid-19 restrictions, where the posts were never advertised.
Semau stated that all labour, including essential services, would be withdrawn if members were not paid outstanding overtime by month-end.
“Workers employed in sanitation, refuse, traffic, waterworks, electrical and other sections will embark on a full-blown strike.
“Some workers employed in essential services are working beyond the maximum 30-hour overtime, without any additional pay as they are classified as core functions.”
Samwu local secretary Nomathamsanqa Banda called for the moratorium on leave as well as the filling of vacant funded posts to be lifted with immediate effect.
Sol Plaatje Municipality spokesperson Thoko Riet explained that no charges were laid as no evidence existed regarding the alleged printing of funeral pamphlets at the municipality.
“The matter was reported to the manager. Although one (funeral) pamphlet was found lying in the office, there was no proof that programmes were in fact being printed there. If anyone has evidence, we invite them to report it,” Riet said.
She indicated that surveillance cameras were subsequently installed in the printing room.
“As per regulation, employees had to be informed that the office is under surveillance. Since then no evidence arose regarding the allegations. No complaints were received regarding large amounts of paper that was going missing or ink cartridges running dry.”
Riet added that the municipality was aware of a nationwide decision taken by Samwu to withdraw its members in light of the non-payment of overtime.
She explained that while the municipality did have the tools and manpower to repair potholes in the city, there was no certainty regarding when all Covid-19 restrictions would be lifted.
“Workers were working on a rotational shift schedule due to safety precautions and were not working at full capacity. The municipality had to use the funds allocated for potholes before the end of the financial year in May or risk forfeiting the money.”
She stated that a private company was already employed as an existing contractor, where no additional costs would be incurred by the municipality.
Riet said that since January 1 to date, the municipality had appointed 37 security guards to sites at Riverton, Homevlae, Roodepan and Midlands to guard the properties against cable theft.
“Their contracts will come to an end on June 30. Council took a resolution to appoint 25 security officials, as from July 1. The 37 security guards already employed will be able to apply for these positions. The contracts will be on a six-month basis, until the cashflow at the municipality has improved.”