THE Young Communist League in KwaZulu-Natal has called for a commission of inquiry into who benefits from contractors and sub-contractors awarded contracts by the eThekwini municipality.
Speaking in Durban yesterday, YCL provincial chairperson Bheki Mbuthuma said it was high time the government established a commission of inquiry on the "exact beneficiaries" from the city contracts.
"I think the public and the people of KwaZulu-Natal need to know who exactly benefits from these companies that are getting contracts from the city because whenever workers are on strike you will find construction companies working at night under heavily armed security guards and in some cases metro police.
"One wonders who the owners are of these companies. That is why the municipality is resisting workers' demands because work continues even if there is a strike," Mbuthuma said.
Cosatu provincial secretary Zet Luzipho said they fully supported the striking workers because their demands were genuine.
He said the government had enough money to pay workers what they demand if it wanted to.
"It's not a matter of not having money. Money is there because we have ministers who drive fancy, expensive cars.
"Again, if Fifa president Sepp Blatter wants money, he gets it, so why can't the workers get the least they want," Luzipho said.
He said if the eThekwini municipality did not have money, where did the R400million to build a shopping mall come from.
"How can the city have R400million to build a mall, but can't afford to give workers a 15percent pay rise?
"We said workers must vote for the ANC, but that does not mean we will be in favour of an individual."
CALL TO PROBE CITY contracts
THE Young Communist League in KwaZulu-Natal has called for a commission of inquiry into who benefits from contractors and sub-contractors awarded contracts by the eThekwini municipality.
Speaking in Durban yesterday, YCL provincial chairperson Bheki Mbuthuma said it was high time the government established a commission of inquiry on the "exact beneficiaries" from the city contracts.
"I think the public and the people of KwaZulu-Natal need to know who exactly benefits from these companies that are getting contracts from the city because whenever workers are on strike you will find construction companies working at night under heavily armed security guards and in some cases metro police.
"One wonders who the owners are of these companies. That is why the municipality is resisting workers' demands because work continues even if there is a strike," Mbuthuma said.
Cosatu provincial secretary Zet Luzipho said they fully supported the striking workers because their demands were genuine.
He said the government had enough money to pay workers what they demand if it wanted to.
"It's not a matter of not having money. Money is there because we have ministers who drive fancy, expensive cars.
"Again, if Fifa president Sepp Blatter wants money, he gets it, so why can't the workers get the least they want," Luzipho said.
He said if the eThekwini municipality did not have money, where did the R400million to build a shopping mall come from.
"How can the city have R400million to build a mall, but can't afford to give workers a 15percent pay rise?
"We said workers must vote for the ANC, but that does not mean we will be in favour of an individual."