Furious municipal workers gathered in front of the Makana city hall on Friday 25 October because their salaries had not been paid causing rumours to circulate that the municipality has no money in the bank.
Furious municipal workers gathered in front of the Makana city hall on Friday 25 October because their salaries had not been paid causing rumours to circulate that the municipality has no money in the bank.
Union leaders addressing the workers could not contain their anger about the municipality’s failure to pay their salaries. "Comrades are going to give you a report from the strategic manager and the acting municipal manager. They say that there were problems with FNB and they promise that our money will be paid by 12.30pm today," said Lindelwa Faltein, secretary of South African Municipal Workers Union.
DA caucus leader Les Reynolds said they asked the acting Chief Financial Officer Marius Crouse, why the salaries were not being paid. He told the DA councillors he had managed to secure R9 million to pay this month’s salaries.
Workers put many questions to the union leaders, but nobody seemed to have any answers.
Faltein said both Myalato and strategic manager Mncedisi Boma had refused to come and address the workers.
"We have bonds, car payments and policies bouncing in the bank. In the 25 years of my working life, I have never experienced this. It is very frustrating and we will be the ones accruing all the interests," said one of the angry workers.
Acting municipal manager Thembinkosi Myalato told Grocott's Mail there was a technical problem which delayed the payment of salaries. "We are busy rectifying the issue and salaries will be paid today. It happened in the middle of the night and we apologise for this inconvenience, it will not happen in the future," Myalato said.
He said none of the municipal workers, including senior management, had received their salaries.
