New provincial Eastern Cape director-general (DG) Marion Mbina-Mthembu was yesterday formally introduced by premier Phumulo Masualle to his office employees amid a “silent protest” by more than 100 workers.
Protesters in black suits and dresses more appropriate to attending a funeral, sat separately from OTP management, and never smiled, laughed or clapped when others were doing so.
In a brief ceremony at Bhisho’s Skenjana Roji Hall, Masualle welcomed Mbina-Mthembu to his office to take over from Dr Loyiso Mbabane who resigned earlier this year, less than a month after assuming office, after being arrested for allegedly raping a female relative.
Mbina-Mthembu, who has been head of department at provincial treasury in recent years, will start her new job on Monday after accepting her appointment to the province’s highest administration post earlier this month.
The 100 OTP employees assembled as early as 8am before quietly marching to where the ceremony took place.
Nehawu chairman at OTP, Loyiso Sobhili, said employees with the black outfits were “to show the new DG there were huge challenges at our institution and that we were mourning over bad treatment employees received from management”.
“We all wore black as part of our silent protest. As employees we do not have any problem with the new DG. In fact we welcome her and commit to give her all our support.
“We are not pleased about how workers are treated by management which continuously ignores our needs,” Sobhili said.
Employees decided not to show any emotion as a demonstration of their unhappiness with “the style of leadership at the OTP.
“Even when it was time for a short prayer at the beginning of the event, we never stood up and it was only management that stood up for that prayer,” said Sobhili.
He said among “the thorny issues” they wanted Mbina-Mthembu to immediately address, “was the failure of our management to implement a decision to upgrade salary levels of those in grades 9 to 10 and those in grades 11 to 12”.
In her first speech as DG, Mbina-Mthembu noted the room “was sombre”, but urged employees and management to work together as a team “so that we can complement each other’s strengths and weaknesses”.
She said for her “results are key” and that her goal was to improve the delivery of services. — asandan@dispatch.co.za
Workers stage ‘silent protest’ as new Bhisho boss arrives
Protesters in black suits and dresses more appropriate to attending a funeral, sat separately from OTP management, and never smiled, laughed or clapped when others were doing so.
In a brief ceremony at Bhisho’s Skenjana Roji Hall, Masualle welcomed Mbina-Mthembu to his office to take over from Dr Loyiso Mbabane who resigned earlier this year, less than a month after assuming office, after being arrested for allegedly raping a female relative.
Mbina-Mthembu, who has been head of department at provincial treasury in recent years, will start her new job on Monday after accepting her appointment to the province’s highest administration post earlier this month.
The 100 OTP employees assembled as early as 8am before quietly marching to where the ceremony took place.
Nehawu chairman at OTP, Loyiso Sobhili, said employees with the black outfits were “to show the new DG there were huge challenges at our institution and that we were mourning over bad treatment employees received from management”.
“We all wore black as part of our silent protest. As employees we do not have any problem with the new DG. In fact we welcome her and commit to give her all our support.
“We are not pleased about how workers are treated by management which continuously ignores our needs,” Sobhili said.
Employees decided not to show any emotion as a demonstration of their unhappiness with “the style of leadership at the OTP.
“Even when it was time for a short prayer at the beginning of the event, we never stood up and it was only management that stood up for that prayer,” said Sobhili.
He said among “the thorny issues” they wanted Mbina-Mthembu to immediately address, “was the failure of our management to implement a decision to upgrade salary levels of those in grades 9 to 10 and those in grades 11 to 12”.
In her first speech as DG, Mbina-Mthembu noted the room “was sombre”, but urged employees and management to work together as a team “so that we can complement each other’s strengths and weaknesses”.
She said for her “results are key” and that her goal was to improve the delivery of services. — asandan@dispatch.co.za
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