Beach stewards air pay gripes
The Department of Tourism’s R40-million beach steward programme has sailed into stormy waters in Port Elizabeth where a group of workers claim their work conditions are being abused.
The 28-month Blue Flag beach steward initiative is funded nationally through the department’s Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP). It is managed by the Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa (Wessa) in conjunction with 15 coastal municipalities. The grievances are contained in a statement from Bay steward Lungile Mnukwa which was e-mailed to The Herald. Mnukwa said yesterday the statement had been backed by the whole 16-member Bay beach steward corps. The statement said the stewards were being denied their right to double their normal R130 a day pay for working public holidays, and time off in lieu for working weekends. The stewards are satisfied that their contract is valid but “Wessa’s application of the Basic Conditions of Employment Act is invalid”, the statement said.
Wessa’s Tourism Blue Flag Programme manager Mandy Noffke said the programme covered 50 Blue Flag beaches in KwaZulu-Natal, the Western Cape and Eastern Cape – including Kings, Humewood and Hobie beaches in Port Elizabeth. The stewards are required to support the municipal beach management team in upholding the Blue Flag status of the beaches. Noffke said she was confused by the complaints raised by the stewards as she had thought that the contract was clear. “Working public holidays and weekends in the tourism industry is normal. The contract says the stewards will work a flexible five day week,” Noffke said. There is an agreement that if the stewards are employed for an extra day to assist at a specific beach event, they are due a day off. “But there is no allowance in their contracts, under EPWP policy, for double pay or overtime.” She said the programme offered inductees an excellent opportunity. “Their stipend is substantially more than the current minimum EPWP rate of R79 a day. I find their complaints quite dismaying,” she said.
