At least 12 Buffalo City Metro workers are facing sudden unemployment this festive season after the newly elected ANC chief whip Mawethu Marata told them to pack their bags and go.
This happened on Friday, apparently without warning, according to some of the affected staff.
Marata denied the purge saying he was not involved in the hiring and firing of staff.
“There is no truth to that. I will follow up with BCM. I have not even gone to the office. I am still working from my old office. I only have an assistant with me.”
Marata promised not to fire anyone adding that he would only come to the whippery office with his personal assistant. “It shouldn’t be like that. I have no intention of firing people,” he said.
The 12 employees were part of Marata’s predecessor Mzwandile Vaaiboom’s staff.
Marata was elected to the position in November after the ANC reshuffled its council. Formerly the head of local economic development, Marata was recently elected as the party’s deputy chair in BCM’s WB Rubusana region.
One of the workers, who spoke to the Daily Dispatch under the condition of anonymity for fear of intimidation, said that the 12 were summoned by the head of department at BCM’s human resources department and told to leave by end of day Friday.
“We met with the general manager and the HoD Ncumisa Dukwana and they said this does not come from them, but Marata is saying that by 4pm today, he wants us out of office,” the source said.
The source said that all 12 staff members were in limbo and had nowhere to go. “I’m devastated. It’s frustrating for this to happen especially during the festive season. I have plans, I have bills to pay. I have kids that I need to make sure go to school next year. I can’t do that without an income,” she said.
Buffalo City Metro spokesperson Samkelo Ngwenya said they were trying to make a plan to accommodate some of the staff who were losing their jobs.
He said the law allowed political office-bearers space and freedom to equip their offices with the human resources that they deemed vital. Staffing was the prerogative of the office-bearer.
“So it will not be an unfair labour practice if the incoming political office-bearers exercise that right. In fact, a provision is made for a months’ notice for new administrative incumbents to move in. From a management point of view and as a progressive employer we are now exploring avenues within our disposal to accommodate some of those affected, where possible,” he said.
Vaaiboom said he was shocked at Marata’s sudden decision to boot out staff.
“I was shocked that a day after council, this happens. The staff called me crying. This ultimatum shocks me because it is against the ANC’s position in relation to decent jobs.”
In an interview in October 2017, provincial ANC chair Oscar Mabuyane spoke out against political leaders nullifying political appointments saying that he was once a victim of an axing for political reasons...