MKOMAZI Local Municipality workers have downed tools.
They are dissatisfied with the municipality's decision not to pay them overtime, travel, and standby claims.
In a communique dated 23 June, the municipality indicated that it would only be able to pay basic salaries to all workers on Wednesday, 25 June.
The letter to the workers further states that all other monies involving third parties will be paid in the first week of July.
Bonginkosi Mkhwanazi, secretary of the South African Municipal Workers Union (Samwu) in Nkomazi, claims that the municipality made the decision without consulting or engaging the workers.
"Workers have downed tools to raise their dissatisfaction, and they decided to demonstrate to show that they are not happy about the corruption that is happening and the way the institution is operating. The management has taken a decision for the workers without any consultations or engagements prior to taking those decisions," he said.
Mkhwanazi has blamed the municipality's failure to pay workers due to corruption and maladministration.
Workers attempted to discuss their administrative issues with their employer, but no action was taken.
"The municipality is unable to pay its workers. There is no certainty that this municipality will be able to function correctly if nothing is done about the corruption that is there. The municipality had been struggling for so many years to pay its workers because of corruption. There is no consequence management for each and every one who contributed to this.
"This does not only affect workers but also affects service delivery. Communities are not able to get the services they need because there is no money. Tools of trade are not there, and it becomes difficult for us to work. As workers we are saying that the government should ensure that all those who have contributed to this problem are punished," he said.
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The Independent Municipal and Allied Trade Union's (Iimatu) chairperson in the region, Ernest Sitiba told Daily Sun that the decision taken by the municipality was uncalled for.
He said workers cannot suffer due to the few individuals who had left the municipality bankrupt.
"This is unfair for the workers because when they are tasked with doing overtime work, they expect to be paid for the work they have done. The municipality must give workers what is due," he said.
The spokesman for the Nkomazi Local Municipality, Mbuso Malale, stated that the employees received their basic salary.
"What is excluded are the other incentives like your standby allowance, overtime and travel claims. The notion is that, in most instances, they were used to paying for this simultaneously. We are unable to pay them because it is towards the end of the financial year, and most of our funds, in terms of your overtime and the likes, were depleted, but going for your basic salary one has signed with the institution, it was budgeted for and that we have managed to pay.
"Our financial year starts in July whereby we will be able to give them an equitable share, and we will be in a position to cover those overtime and allowances that we owe to the employees. We have given them that assurance verbally during a meeting on Monday," he said.
