A group of temporary municipal workers blocked Addo Road, in Motherwell, on Friday with burning tyres and rubbish, demanding payment from the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality.
They claim they were only paid R400 instead of the R3000 they say they were promised for cleaning beaches between November and January.
Singing struggle songs outside the Addo Road Depot, opposite the Motherwell cemetery, the group blocked cars on both sides of the road asking that the municipality provide them answers to the "absurd" amounts that they received.
The municipality hired 200 Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) to ensure the city's beaches were spotless for the holiday season.
However, after the Opening of Season event on December 16, only 14 workers pitched up for work. The city had to recruit new temporary workers from their back-up list to ensure the beaches were cleaned.
Sandisiwe Ndalo, who started working mid-November, said they were meant to have been paid in December but the money did not come through.
Ndalo said that when they inquired about the non-payment, they were promised it would be in by the end of the week and would include backpay.
"We have children. We support our unemployed parents and we haven't received a single cent from the municipality.
"I started cleaning at St Georges beach but eventually we were moved to Nu29 and also started cleaning along the roads. We don't even have proper gear yet we pick up diapers and dead dogs here," Ndalo said.
An emotional Nomathemba Twenane said she felt abused by the municipality.
"I'm here trying to take care of my grandchildren because our own kids are there laying in their graves. I'm in debt because I went to a loan shark to borrow money so that I could buy my grandchildren stationery but now how am I going to pay that back," Twenane said.
Xolelwa Mela said she saw the report in The Herald published in December saying that only 14 workers out of 200 had pitched up for work.
Mela said there were time-sheets to prove they had worked, including public holidays because they were told to.
Meanwhile, in Uitenhage protesters from McCarthy informal settlement in Kamesh blocked off the road in front of Allanridge Community Hall with burning tyres and large rocks on the road.
By 11am on Friday, the protesters had already fled the scene, leaving debris of burning wood and tyres on the road.
Police spokesperson sergeant Majola Nkohli said police were deployed to the scene when the protest started.
"Motorists were advised to avoid driving on the two roads. Police monitored the scene and no arrests were made," Nkohli said.
Ward 48 councillor Tyrone Adams said the protestors wanted to speak to Bay mayor Mongameli Bobani over promises he had made at an IDP public meeting in September 2018.
At the meeting, residents of KwaLanga painted a grim picture of how they lived in fear of criminals and raised issues about the need for electricity, serviced sites and tarred roads.
On Friday, Bobani urged the residents to be patient and said that the municipality was heading to the adjustment budget at the end of February and their needs would be addressed after that.
"We've already started with electrification in Motherwell and we'll roll this out throughout the rest of the metro but what is hampering this process is the budget. We don't have the budget.
"I told the residents during the IDP that we're going to the adjustment budget and that is where they would be budgeted for. They must be patient because we're doing things in accordance with the law.
"I appeal to them to be patient, we'll comply but everything needs money," Bobani said.
Municipal spokesman Mthubanzi Mniki said paying the workers was difficult as some had absconded and others did not work the length of hours they were supposed to.
"Challenges were experienced in [reconciling who worked when]. However, that has since been sorted out.
"We expect those that still have money owed will be paid month end. It must be said though that those who absconded and those who did not work the full hours that they signed for will only be paid was is due to them.
"This information has been communicated to their team leaders already," Mniki said.
EPWP workers demand payment
Image: Eugene Coetzee
A group of temporary municipal workers blocked Addo Road, in Motherwell, on Friday with burning tyres and rubbish, demanding payment from the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality.
They claim they were only paid R400 instead of the R3000 they say they were promised for cleaning beaches between November and January.
Singing struggle songs outside the Addo Road Depot, opposite the Motherwell cemetery, the group blocked cars on both sides of the road asking that the municipality provide them answers to the "absurd" amounts that they received.
The municipality hired 200 Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) to ensure the city's beaches were spotless for the holiday season.
However, after the Opening of Season event on December 16, only 14 workers pitched up for work. The city had to recruit new temporary workers from their back-up list to ensure the beaches were cleaned.
Sandisiwe Ndalo, who started working mid-November, said they were meant to have been paid in December but the money did not come through.
Ndalo said that when they inquired about the non-payment, they were promised it would be in by the end of the week and would include backpay.
"We have children. We support our unemployed parents and we haven't received a single cent from the municipality.
"I started cleaning at St Georges beach but eventually we were moved to Nu29 and also started cleaning along the roads. We don't even have proper gear yet we pick up diapers and dead dogs here," Ndalo said.
An emotional Nomathemba Twenane said she felt abused by the municipality.
"I'm here trying to take care of my grandchildren because our own kids are there laying in their graves. I'm in debt because I went to a loan shark to borrow money so that I could buy my grandchildren stationery but now how am I going to pay that back," Twenane said.
Xolelwa Mela said she saw the report in The Herald published in December saying that only 14 workers out of 200 had pitched up for work.
Mela said there were time-sheets to prove they had worked, including public holidays because they were told to.
Meanwhile, in Uitenhage protesters from McCarthy informal settlement in Kamesh blocked off the road in front of Allanridge Community Hall with burning tyres and large rocks on the road.
By 11am on Friday, the protesters had already fled the scene, leaving debris of burning wood and tyres on the road.
Police spokesperson sergeant Majola Nkohli said police were deployed to the scene when the protest started.
"Motorists were advised to avoid driving on the two roads. Police monitored the scene and no arrests were made," Nkohli said.
Ward 48 councillor Tyrone Adams said the protestors wanted to speak to Bay mayor Mongameli Bobani over promises he had made at an IDP public meeting in September 2018.
At the meeting, residents of KwaLanga painted a grim picture of how they lived in fear of criminals and raised issues about the need for electricity, serviced sites and tarred roads.
On Friday, Bobani urged the residents to be patient and said that the municipality was heading to the adjustment budget at the end of February and their needs would be addressed after that.
"We've already started with electrification in Motherwell and we'll roll this out throughout the rest of the metro but what is hampering this process is the budget. We don't have the budget.
"I told the residents during the IDP that we're going to the adjustment budget and that is where they would be budgeted for. They must be patient because we're doing things in accordance with the law.
"I appeal to them to be patient, we'll comply but everything needs money," Bobani said.
Municipal spokesman Mthubanzi Mniki said paying the workers was difficult as some had absconded and others did not work the length of hours they were supposed to.
"Challenges were experienced in [reconciling who worked when]. However, that has since been sorted out.
"We expect those that still have money owed will be paid month end. It must be said though that those who absconded and those who did not work the full hours that they signed for will only be paid was is due to them.
"This information has been communicated to their team leaders already," Mniki said.
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