Municipal managers not freed yet

2010-03-15 23:32

Johannesburg - A municipal manager and five other managers of the Moses Kotane Local Municipality were still being held hostage by about 250 workers at their offices by 22:00 on Monday, the Congress of SA Trade Unions (Cosatu) said.

"The workers are not prepared to have a discussion for another year for a signed agreement to be implemented and they are still at the offices to have their demands met," said provincial secretary Solly Phetoe.

The hostage drama, which began at 10:30 in the council chambers on Monday, was over a salary adjustment agreement which was signed last year but had not been implemented.

Phetoe said the workers were also demanding protective clothing and the suspension of the chief financial officer (CFO) accused of racism after he allegedly called some workers monkeys.

"There is already a case against him (CFO) in the Equality Court and the workers want him suspended.

"We have also been told that the CFO, who started as the municipality's consultant, does not have a matric certificate," he said.

Corruption report

Phetoe said the workers were also demanding the urgent implementation of recommendations made in a corruption report compiled by the ANC task team, which was assigned to investigate six municipalities in the province last year.

The workers wanted the report, which led to the reshuffling of managers in some municipalities, to be made public.

He said workers were planning to hold the managers hostage until they issued instructions to their junior managers to implement their demands.

North West Police's Superintendent Lesego Metsi denied that the managers were being held hostage because they apparently agreed to stay in the offices to negotiate with municipal employees after entrances and exits were blocked.

"The gates have since been opened, but the meeting is still going on and the police are there to monitor the situation until the matter is resolved," he said.
 

- SAPA