Municipality paralysed by by labour strike and corruption claims
The disruption has crippled essential services, with refuse collection and the licensing department bearing the immediate brunt.
For the umpteenth time in two years, the Umdoni Municipality has been brought to a standstill by a labour strike, leaving residents fuming over piled-up garbage and shuttered services while union leaders level explosive allegations of fraud and corruption against management.
The South African Municipal Workers’ Union (SAMWU) and the Independent Municipal and Allied Trade Union (IMATU) downed tools this week, citing the municipality’s chronic failure to finalise a staff organogram – a basic administrative framework that has been in limbo for years.
The disruption has crippled essential services, with refuse collection and the licensing department bearing the immediate brunt.
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On Monday, September 8, union representatives revealed they are demanding experts from the provincial Co-Operative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA) department to take over the organogram process, claiming Umdoni’s management has ‘failed in its mandate’.
But the unions’ grievances extend far beyond job descriptions.
IMATU chairperson, Skhumbuzo Ngwane unveiled deeper financial concerns, pointing to a specific company that has allegedly been operating on an irregular month-to-month contract since 2021, leading to what he termed “wasteful expenditure” that threatens to bankrupt the municipality.
“This is irregular and cannot be allowed to continue. We are not only employees but also residents. We have a responsibility to fight to ensure that all these matters are resolved,” Ngwane declared. The union has written a letter to the council demanding a special meeting to address the workers’ plight and the corruption allegations.
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The municipality’s public notice, issued on Monday, apologising for the inconvenience and promising a swift resolution, has done little to placate a frustrated community. Motorists arrived at closed gates, with one taking to social media to voice her anger after a wasted trip.
As of last night, union members were awaiting a response from management, who were in meetings in Port Shepstone.
With services suspended and trust at an all-time low, the community of Umdoni is left waiting for a resolution that has, so far, proven elusive. Workers leave the Umdoni Municipality office in Scottburgh after being addressed by union reps.
