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From: Media Account
Sent: 06 May 2015 02:33 PM
Subject: STATEMENT BY MAYOR DE LILLE: City commits to resolve issues with the 
South African Municipal Workers Union
Importance: High

[cid:[email protected]]<http://www.capetown.gov.za/en/Pages/default.aspx>

CITY OF CAPE TOWN

6 MAY 2015

STATEMENT BY THE CITY'S EXECUTIVE MAYOR, PATRICIA DE LILLE

City commits to resolve issues with the South African Municipal Workers Union

Today I personally received a memorandum of outstanding issues from the South 
African Municipal Workers Union (SAMWU).

Below is a list of complaints and grievances from the union and the response 
from myself as the Executive Mayor.

Complaint summary: Operational allowance for pregnant female firefighters. The 
complaint is that pregnant female firefighters are taken off operational duty 
when they declare their pregnancy and as a result lose their operational 
allowance when they are taken off firefighting duty.


Response from the Executive Mayor: The rights of workers must be respected. The 
current provision allows for a female employee who is three months into their 
pregnancy term to be taken off operational duty such as firefighting. This is 
an occupational health and safety measure. We will consider all health and 
safety issues but the female employee will still be paid the regular 
operational monthly allowances.

Complaint summary: The issue of disciplinary and grievances procedures. The 
current position is that the delegation is with the line managers of 
departments.

Response from Executive Mayor: The delegations will be changed so that the 
final decision in disciplinary and grievance procedures will be with the 
director of the department, with the oversight of the Executive Director of 
that directorate.

Furthermore, the allegation made by SAMWU today that the right to appeal in 
disciplinary matters was unilaterally revoked by the Executive Director of 
Corporate Services is simply untrue. In fact, in a letter to the union dated 22 
April 2015, the right to appeal hearings was reconfirmed by the City to SAMWU 
again.

Complaint summary: SAMWU wants Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) workers 
to become permanent employees.

Response from the Executive Mayor: EPWP is a National Government programme for 
temporary work opportunities and the terms of the employment are negotiated and 
agreed to at the National Economic Development and Labour Council (NEDLAC) 
where unions, government and business have signed these agreements.

The City does not have the power to change the agreement and unions must 
approach NEDLAC to discuss the terms and conditions of the EPWP programme.

However, as the City, we will give an undertaking that all temporary EPWP 
workers will be considered as and when permanent employment opportunities arise.

Complaint summary: Transport allowances. The complaint is that the application 
of transport allowances in the City is not consistent as to who, when and how 
transport allowances are allocated.

Response from Executive Mayor: The City found this to be the case and we will 
now negotiate with the unions to provide a transport allowance where applicable 
to employees across the City. This decision will be implemented as from the 
start of the new financial year, 1 July 2015.

Complaint summary: Job grading. There are outstanding task-related appeals.

Response from the Executive Mayor: The City investigated this complaint but 
SAMWU did not arrive at a meeting to discuss the complaint. The City has 
responses for this complaint and the unions must provide us with a date for 
when they can meet.

Complaint summary: Security at libraries. There was an allegation of attacks 
and a robbery at gun-point.

Response from the Executive Mayor: The City is awaiting details from SAMWU and 
the library management but details have not been forthcoming.

Complaint summary: Access to telephone, e-mail and internet for shop stewards.

Response from the Executive Mayor: We do have facilities for the full-time shop 
stewards who have dedicated offices in Athlone with these services which are 
funded by the City.

For all other non-full-time shop stewards, access to e-mail, telephone and 
internet will be provided on a case by case basis. I call on SAMWU to provide 
me with details of the actual cases where access was not allowed and to provide 
this list by Monday 11 May 2015.

Complaint summary: Allegations of racism in Khayelitsha by Dr Virginia de 
Azevedo.

Response from the Executive Mayor: The City of Cape Town approached the 
Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) to investigate 
these allegations. An initial meeting was planned for 18 March 2015. SAMWU did 
not arrive for this meeting. The next meeting at the CCMA has been scheduled 
for 18 May 2015 and, up until today, SAMWU has still not confirmed their 
attendance. I hereby appeal to SAWMU to attend the CCMA meeting.

Complaint summary: The second allegation of racism that only black workers from 
the Water and Sanitation Department's Technical Operations Centre are being 
relocated. The complaint was that the City did not consult on the relocation of 
employees to the corporate call centre.

Response from the Executive Mayor: This is a lie. Out of the 10 employees 
intended to relocated, three are white, five are coloured and two are black. 
Furthermore, the transfer of the employees took place via an application 
process.

In conclusion, there are weaknesses on both sides. The City of Cape Town is 
committed to continue training City management to respect and deal with unions 
better.

At the same time, the unions must train their shop stewards to deal with the 
workers' complaints and grievances more effectively.

I am inviting the union leadership to meet with me today so that we can agree 
on how to implement what I have put forward today and sign the agreement.


End

Issued by: Integrated Strategic Communication, Branding and Marketing 
Department, City of Cape Town


Media enquiries: Zara Nicholson, Spokesperson for the Executive Mayor - 
Patricia de Lille, City of Cape Town, Tel: 021 400 4998 or Cell: 079 416 5996, 
E-mail: [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>


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