Renosterberg municipal workers booed Northern Cape Premier Dr Zamani Saul while he was addressing a Cosatu provincial conference.
RENOSTERBERG municipal workers booed Northern Cape Premier Dr Zamani Saul while he was addressing a Cosatu provincial conference on Wednesday.
SA Municipal Workers Union (Samwu) provincial secretary Lawrence Fernie said on Thursday that the municipal workers have not received their salaries for the past three months.
“Workers in Philipstown, Vanderkloof and Petrusville have withdrawn their labour and there are currently no services being rendered. Rubbish is not being collected and workers cannot do their jobs as the vehicles have no fuel. This is after Eskom froze the municipal bank account due to non-payment,” said Fernie.
He stated that they wish to join a court process to unfreeze a portion of Renosterberg Municipality’s bank account to allow salaries to be paid.
“Workers worked throughout November, December and January without receiving a cent. After three months their policies will lapse, their homes and vehicles will be repossessed, those renting will be evicted and their children will be put out of school.
“Our members had to do something to highlight their plight as they have been unable to put food on the table for their dependents. Members were in no way attacking Saul as the ANC chairperson but wanted him to address the problem as the premier.”
Fernie added that tyres were set alight near Vanderkloof and Petrusville on Wednesday as the community were frustrated that there was no service delivery.
“Everyone is frustrated.”
He stated that they later allowed Saul to address them.
“The premier stated that he had appointed a team of lawyers to address the unfreezing of the bank account and indicated that he had engaged with the National Treasury to assist.
“Saul must also intervene and engage with the municipality and Eskom,” added Fernie.
The spokesperson for the Office of the Premier, Bronwyn Thomas-Abrahams, said the matter of staff salaries was raised prior to the Cosatu conference.
“It has been receiving attention from provincial government. The premier, Dr Zamani Saul, has also held numerous engagements with the staff and further directed that the MEC responsible for Co-operative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs, Bentley Vass, work with organised labour, the Renosterberg Municipality and all relevant stakeholders to find a speedy and amicable solution to remedy the situation at hand,” said Thomas-Abrahams.
She indicated that Saul addressed the Cosatu conference in his capacity as provincial chairperson of the ANC.
