Tempers flared when municipal casual workers stormed City Hall demanding answers about their jobs on Tuesday.
Tempers flared when municipal casual workers stormed City Hall demanding answers about their jobs on Tuesday.
The infuriated workers made their way to the city hall to seek answers regarding uncertainty surrounding their jobs.
The workers met in the council chambers with acting-Municipal Manager, Themba Mnguni and acting-CFO, Busi Khumalo.
The workers signed a two month contract with the municipality last week, but on Tuesday their supervisors told them that they would only work one month, as there was no money for salaries for the second month.
This infuriated the workers, leading to them confronting the management. Speaking in the meeting one worker said: "After we did the riverbeds project, we were promised that we will be absorbed, now you are telling us that there are no jobs any more.
"How are we going to survive if we don't work?" Mnguni said they understood the concerns of the casual workers but the municipality's hands were tied because they were not around when those promises were made to the workers.
"The Extended Public Works Programme (EPWP) funding was meant only for the riverbeds project.
"My suggestion is that we call the Mayor, Mr [Scara] Wali and Afika [Adam] to come to this meeting and explain this.
"It will not help us if we fight other peoples' battles.
"I apologise that you find yourselves in this situation, as casuals or volunteers with no uniform.
"Promises were made to you before we even arrived," said Mnguni.
One of the workers said Mnguni and Khumalo were brought in to manage the municipality and were therefore in charge.
"If there is corruption and people misuse money they must be arrested," said the worker. Mnguni said the contracts of the casual workers would continue until 7 November, but promised that next week municipal officials will meet with EPWP officials to discuss funding.
