The Public Servants Association (PSA) has called on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) MEC, Sipho Hlomuka, to permanently appoint all contract workers in the department.
The union said the department has more than 136 employees on contract, with some having been on contract for more than 12 years.
PSA provincial manager Mlungisi Ndlovu said his union had been in discussions with Cogta for some time about the plight of these employees. He said PSA patience was now running out.
He said it was total exploitation to have a worker on contract for 12 years and this was a violation of the Labour Relations Act of 2014 as amended which clearly stipulates that if a worker has completed three months without interruption in the workplace he or she must be converted to permanent employment.
“Protracted discussions with the department have taken place but without success. The PSA has written to the department demanding the appointment of these employees. So far, the department has made proposals that are unfair, unreasonable and arbitrary. The PSA rejects any form of employee exploitation by employing workers on a contract basis. This will eventually lead to more poverty and an insecure work environment. We plead with Hlomuka to immediately intervene and ensure the permanent appointment of all contract workers,” said Ndlovu.
He said it was disturbing that it was the government which was flouting the labour act and exploiting workers.
Ndlovu further said that workers have been denied benefits such as contribution to a pension fund, medical aid and other employment benefits because they were on contract. Furthermore, he said some of the workers would retire soon and life would be more difficult. These workers would depend on income from government grants.
A Cogta employee, who wished to remain anonymous, has been on contract for nine years.
“It is difficult to be in our situation. We have an unlimited contract which is unusual because a contract must have a start and end date. We cannot take loans because the banking institutes inform us that we are not permanent employees. We are not able to take insurance policies because we do not know when our contracts will end,” the employee said.
Cogta spokesperson Senzo Mzila said the issues related to employees’ conditions are very sensitive and important to the department. Mzila said the department was handling the matter cautiously and within the ambit of the law.
Daily News