Preparations for the Eastern Cape’s Human Rights Day commemoration were disrupted on Tuesday as more than 1,700 workers downed tools over a payment dispute.
Contract workers for the department of forestry, fisheries and the environment employed to clean the streets of Nelson Mandela Bay staged a protest over the nonpayment of their stipends for March.
The workers are on a one-year contract and get paid on the 15th of every month.
Taking advantage of the presence of a delegation of provincial government officials in Kariega, some workers stopped renovations taking place at the Jabavu Stadium in KwaNobuhle ahead of the official 39th commemoration of the KwaLanga massacre on Thursday.
The event is expected to be addressed by premier Oscar Mabuyane.
Four months into the job, the workers, deployed across all 60 wards in the Bay, say they have not received payslips.
They also say their salaries fluctuate each month and that they have not been given adequate personal protective equipment.
KwaNobuhle resident Abongile Gayika said to get the government’s attention and answers about their unpaid stipends, they had decided to halt renovations at the Jabavu Stadium.
“We had to do it and it worked because the leadership of the municipality, including deputy mayor Babalwa Lobishe, came to brief us.
“They told us the department was experiencing financial challenges for the project but it managed to secure funds for our outstanding salaries.
“Our main concern is that if they don’t have the money now, how are they going to pay us for the remainder of the months we signed contracts for,” Gayika said.
Contract workers employed in Gqeberha, including areas such as New Brighton and Zwide, took to Njoli Square to protest.
One of the workers, Xolelwa Maphitiza, said they had expected to be paid on March 15, but were told payment would now reflect only on Monday.
“Our payment is always delayed.
“Since we started working, we have never been satisfied with our salaries as there are always people with issues and there are some who have not received payment at all since October last year,” she said.
“You can’t open a credit account without a payslip so even though we have jobs for one year, we don’t have proof of this other than the contracts we signed and yet we have to submit copies of our IDs every month to get paid.”
On Friday, the workers were told they would be paid on Monday this week but when the money was not transferred, they decided to stop working.
The department of forestry, fisheries and environment launched the municipal cleaning and greening initiative in late 2023.
The project aims to clear 7,251 illegal dumping hotspots in communities across the country.
The initiative was also established to create temporary jobs for the unemployed.
One of the protesters, Khaya Magele, claimed it was unlawful that they were paid R18 an hour, which was below the prescribed minimum wage in SA.
“Not even domestic workers earn as little as we do,” Magele said.
“For the first three months of working, there was a large number of people that didn’t get paid and had to be back-paid.
“We are not respected, we know we will get in trouble for calling the media but we have no choice.
“We head families and have children to take care of.”
However, forestry, fisheries and environment spokesperson Peter Mbelengwa said the department had no funding issues and that the pay delay resulted from workers not furnishing it with all the necessary documentation.
“We can’t process payment when time sheets are not properly filled out, with incorrect banking details and no copies of IDs,” Mbelengwa said.
“Salaries for the workers fluctuate because of absenteeism, therefore you can’t expect everyone to be paid the same amount when they did not work.”
On the minimum wage issue, Mbelengwa said the programme was on a different bracket and therefore the prescribed minimum wage payment did not apply to these workers.
Lobishe did not respond by the time of publication to a request for comment.
HeraldLIVE
Work stoppage disrupts Eastern Cape’s Human Rights Day preparations
More than 1,700 contract workers in Bay down tools in dispute over late payment of stipends
Image: ANDISA BONANI
Preparations for the Eastern Cape’s Human Rights Day commemoration were disrupted on Tuesday as more than 1,700 workers downed tools over a payment dispute.
Contract workers for the department of forestry, fisheries and the environment employed to clean the streets of Nelson Mandela Bay staged a protest over the nonpayment of their stipends for March.
The workers are on a one-year contract and get paid on the 15th of every month.
Taking advantage of the presence of a delegation of provincial government officials in Kariega, some workers stopped renovations taking place at the Jabavu Stadium in KwaNobuhle ahead of the official 39th commemoration of the KwaLanga massacre on Thursday.
The event is expected to be addressed by premier Oscar Mabuyane.
Four months into the job, the workers, deployed across all 60 wards in the Bay, say they have not received payslips.
They also say their salaries fluctuate each month and that they have not been given adequate personal protective equipment.
KwaNobuhle resident Abongile Gayika said to get the government’s attention and answers about their unpaid stipends, they had decided to halt renovations at the Jabavu Stadium.
“We had to do it and it worked because the leadership of the municipality, including deputy mayor Babalwa Lobishe, came to brief us.
“They told us the department was experiencing financial challenges for the project but it managed to secure funds for our outstanding salaries.
“Our main concern is that if they don’t have the money now, how are they going to pay us for the remainder of the months we signed contracts for,” Gayika said.
Contract workers employed in Gqeberha, including areas such as New Brighton and Zwide, took to Njoli Square to protest.
One of the workers, Xolelwa Maphitiza, said they had expected to be paid on March 15, but were told payment would now reflect only on Monday.
“Our payment is always delayed.
“Since we started working, we have never been satisfied with our salaries as there are always people with issues and there are some who have not received payment at all since October last year,” she said.
“You can’t open a credit account without a payslip so even though we have jobs for one year, we don’t have proof of this other than the contracts we signed and yet we have to submit copies of our IDs every month to get paid.”
On Friday, the workers were told they would be paid on Monday this week but when the money was not transferred, they decided to stop working.
The department of forestry, fisheries and environment launched the municipal cleaning and greening initiative in late 2023.
The project aims to clear 7,251 illegal dumping hotspots in communities across the country.
The initiative was also established to create temporary jobs for the unemployed.
One of the protesters, Khaya Magele, claimed it was unlawful that they were paid R18 an hour, which was below the prescribed minimum wage in SA.
“Not even domestic workers earn as little as we do,” Magele said.
“For the first three months of working, there was a large number of people that didn’t get paid and had to be back-paid.
“We are not respected, we know we will get in trouble for calling the media but we have no choice.
“We head families and have children to take care of.”
However, forestry, fisheries and environment spokesperson Peter Mbelengwa said the department had no funding issues and that the pay delay resulted from workers not furnishing it with all the necessary documentation.
“We can’t process payment when time sheets are not properly filled out, with incorrect banking details and no copies of IDs,” Mbelengwa said.
“Salaries for the workers fluctuate because of absenteeism, therefore you can’t expect everyone to be paid the same amount when they did not work.”
On the minimum wage issue, Mbelengwa said the programme was on a different bracket and therefore the prescribed minimum wage payment did not apply to these workers.
Lobishe did not respond by the time of publication to a request for comment.
HeraldLIVE
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