A council meeting at King Sabata Dalindyebo (KSD) municipality came to an abrupt halt yesterday when irate municipal employees stormed the council’s Enkululekweni chambers demanding payment of outstanding money.
They also wanted the immediate removal of corporate services director Ayanda Mdleleni, whom they accused of nepotism and being the source of the municipality’s financial woes.
The Daily Dispatch reported last week that workers had threatened to embark on a strike if municipal bosses failed to pay them their task-grade money which they have been fighting for since 2009.
They complain that they are still being paid according to the post-1994 transitional local council grades despite the municipality having promised to implement the task grades as far back as 2010.
Council members were locked in a heated discussion around the Mdleleni issue when the workers barged in at 11am.
Angry workers chanted slogans and waved placards stating: Goduka Mdleleni asikudingi [Go home Mdleleni, we don’t need you.]
Workers also shouted: Sifuna imali yethu! [We want our money].
KSD spokesman Sonwabo Mampoza said the leadership of KSD was in constant talks with the SA Municipal Workers Union (Samwu) as they attempted to resolve the impasse.
“It’s a process that is taking place.”
Mampoza said management alone could not take the blame as there had been technicalities that had led to delays in the task grade payments.
Among these was the fact that employees themselves had declined placement letters.
But Samwu KSD spokesman Luthando Ndamase said they did not want to wait another 20 years to get their money.
He accused Mdleleni of abusing his powers on many occasions.
UDM councillor Mabandla Gogo said the disruption was justified as workers had been promised their money for many years.
He accused mayor Dumani Zozo of shielding and protecting Mdleleni and said they were waiting for a report on an investigation conducted by cooperative governance and traditional affairs MEC Fikile Xasa into claims of Mdleleni’s irregularities.
The report was completed and sent to KSD in June last year but has not yet been presented before council.
Mthatha Residents and Ratepayers Association councillor Monwabisi Malotana said the municipality had no capacity to deal with complex issues, and this in turn had an adverse affect on ratepayers.
DA councillor Raymond Knock said: “I have been asking for consequence management. You cannot have a director doing as he pleases.”
By late yesterday, acting mayor Thobeka Mtirara, council speaker Nontyatyambo Gcingca and other leaders were still locked in a meeting with Samwu leaders. —sikhon@dispatch.co.za..