In a telephonic interview with the Dispatch on Monday, an unimpressed Nqatha described SA as a constitutional democracy where there were provisions that needed to be adhered to during a labour issue.
“Whether you have grievances or not, you cannot be allowed to break the law,” he said.
“What they did was tantamount to lawlessness.
“That was anarchy.”
None of the suspended employees has been formally charged or appeared at a disciplinary hearing.
Mampoza said this was because the evidence against them had to be collated first due to the sensitivity of the matter.
He said the 14 had been issued with suspension letters between October 31 to November 7.
A case of damage to municipal infrastructure and property had been opened with the SAPS after municipal vehicles were damaged.
He said the municipality was legally allowed to place people on suspension for a period not exceeding three months.
This period had not elapsed yet.
“At this stage the municipality would not like to comment further on the matter,” he added.
MEC calls for action against suspended KSD staff
Image: File
Eastern Cape Cogta MEC Xolile Nqatha has told KSD municipal bosses to take action against 14 employees who were suspended in October after they were accused of trashing Mthatha’s inner city streets.
The Mthatha CBD and entrances to the main municipal offices were turned into a dumpsite, with rubbish, boulders and even the carcass of a dead horse used to blockade strategic entrances to KSD’s headquarters.
At the time, KSD spokesperson Sonwabo Mampoza was quoted as saying they had witnessed employees offloading rubbish inside municipal buildings.
The actions were allegedly done by aggrieved municipal truck drivers, mostly from the community services directorate.
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In a telephonic interview with the Dispatch on Monday, an unimpressed Nqatha described SA as a constitutional democracy where there were provisions that needed to be adhered to during a labour issue.
“Whether you have grievances or not, you cannot be allowed to break the law,” he said.
“What they did was tantamount to lawlessness.
“That was anarchy.”
None of the suspended employees has been formally charged or appeared at a disciplinary hearing.
Mampoza said this was because the evidence against them had to be collated first due to the sensitivity of the matter.
He said the 14 had been issued with suspension letters between October 31 to November 7.
A case of damage to municipal infrastructure and property had been opened with the SAPS after municipal vehicles were damaged.
He said the municipality was legally allowed to place people on suspension for a period not exceeding three months.
This period had not elapsed yet.
“At this stage the municipality would not like to comment further on the matter,” he added.
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Zuko Mvokwana, who leads one of the two Samwu factions in KSD, claimed the suspended employees had not taken part in the strike.
“We are shocked.
“No proper investigation has been done.”
He said it was unfair for KSD to jump up and suspend employees without addressing grievances which had been raised for a long time.
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