Durban — Scores of disgruntled workers frustrated with outsourcing marched to the KwaZulu-Natal, office of the premier in Pietermaritzburg, on Thursday, demanding permanent employment.
Adding to their unified voice for collective demand for employment was the provincial leader of ActionSA, Zwakele Mncwango, and the EFF’s Mongezi Thwala.
Mncwango urged the workers to remain united against the exploitation they face.
“I am here to support the workers. Do not allow us as politicians to divide you. You must be united as workers. I know your plight, and pain as outsourced workers,” said Mncwango.
Mncwango further revealed that these outsourced companies were often linked to politicians, alleging a conflict of interest within the system.
Mncwango, also a councillor in eThekwini Municipality, had put forward a motion for the insourcing of cleaners and security personnel in the city last year.
However, his motion was summarily rejected this year, with the city, which boasts a budget of R67 billion, claiming that insourcing would cost state coffers R4 billion.Mncwango told workers that he has been fighting this battle for a while.
The EFF’s Thwala echoed Mncwango’s sentiments.
“We are tired of seeing our brothers and sisters being manipulated by individuals who own the companies outsourced by the government. We want the government to insource them immediately,” stated Thwala
Thwala added that they hold the government to account until the workers are insourced.
“This is a fight that we will not stop fighting until these workers are insourced so that their lives change,” he said.
As they marched toward the premier’s office, workers held placards emblazoned with messages such as “Insourcing in our lifetime” and “Tender(s) must fall,” demanding immediate action against the practices of outsourcing that they believe deprive them of fair employment.
Upon receiving a memorandum from the protesters, the Chief of Staff in the Premier’s Office, Brian Ntuli, assured the workers that a meeting will be facilitated with Premier Thami Ntuli to address the matter.
Meanwhile, the Public Works and Infrastructure Department in KZN, headed by the DA’s Martin Meyer, is reportedly considering eliminating the outsourcing of consultants, signalling a possible shift in government employment practices.
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Daily News