SAMWU asked by Government to deal with complex social problems.

SAMWU asked by Government to deal with complex social problems.

South African Municipal Workers Union (SAMWU) press statement

By Tahir Sema

Local Government is currently facing complex social problems. These problems are; institutional incapacity, corruption, nepotism and erratic service delivery protest actions. According to Government these problems require a collective approach. These are problems which the Government admits it cannot resolve by itself, challenges that SAMWU has been asked to help deal with.

Local Government stakeholders such as organized labor unions and the South African Local Government Association (SALGA) had been given this mammoth task to deal with; to strategically reposition Municipalities, in order to respond to these prevailing challenges.

The Minister for Cooperation Governance and Traditional Affairs Sicelo Shiceka established a Ministerial Strategic Team to deal with the root cause of the prevailing challenges and to advice Local Government on appropriate interventions.

The Ministerial Strategic Team will comprise of the South African Municipal Workers Union, Independent Municipal and Allied Trade Union (IMATU), SALGA, National Treasury (NT), Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs and the Department of Public Services and Administration (DPSA).

The objectives of the Strategic Team will be to conduct impact assessments of the global economic meltdown on the viability of the municipalities, to investigate the genesis of the current service delivery challenges, to assist the stake holders to develop the turnaround strategy in the local Government, to enhance the relationship between SALGA and organized labor both nationally and provincially and to undertake the comparative assessment of the wage gap between the highest paid employee and the lowest salary worker in Municipalities.

SAMWU welcomes the recent and affirmative engagement with Minister Sicelo Shiceka and foresees positive outcomes emanating from the Ministerial Strategic Team, which would undoubtedly assist Government in dealing with the complex social problems it is faced with.

Corruption; We Told You So!

Corruption; We Told You So!

And No Doubt, More arrests to follow.

SAMWU Press statement; on the recent arrests in the North-West province.

By Tahir Sema.

This morning, three senior officials in the North-West Municipalities were arrested on corruption charges. This follows strike actions and demonstrations by members of the South African Municipal Workers Union (SAMWU). Workers called for end to the corruption that has been rampant in the Province. On the evidence that SAMWU had collected, more arrests are to follow.

This morning the Acting Municipal Manager of Rustenburg, the suspended Municipal Manager of Madibeng and his Chief Financial Officer were arrested and face corruption charges following the presentation made by SAMWU shop stewards to the Ministerial Task Team.

SAMWU in the North West was part of a special Ministerial Task Team to investigate corruption charges in the North-West Municipalities. This task team was established by the Minister Sicelo Siceka of Corporative Governance and Traditional Affairs. The task team was put in place after SAMWU had raised serious concerns of corruption. This vindicates the concerns of SAMWU.

We hope this is a clear indication that the Government is not going to compromise on any form of corruption that exists anywhere in the country. We will continue to work with the government and other authorities to ensure that those who abuse the public’s trust are brought to book.

SAMWU congratulates our members in the Province for their unfaltering campaign against corruption. Perpetrators should be warned! Whether you are in a ruling elite or a minor position, this union commits itself to rooting out corruption. There is no room for the corrupt in Government!

For comment contact Walter Theledi (Deputy General Secretary) on 0825586580