ANGRY workers of the cash-strapped Letaba municipality in Limpopo have threatened to bring its operations to a standstill if the manager's post is not advertised by Friday next week.
The workers, belonging to the South African Municipal Workers Union (Samwu) and Independent Municipal Workers Union (Imatu), downed tools at the municipality in Modjajiskloof yesterday.
They are demanding that municipal manager Sakkie Mutshinyali be relieved of his duties immediately.
Work came to a standstill from 7am when nearly 570 union members danced and sang in front of the council building.
The usual council services, such as applications for driver's licences and the accounts department, were affected by the work boycott as most, if not all, the workers took part.
The workers claimed Mutshinyali was "slow" when it came to ensuring service delivery in deserving communities.
"His contract lapsed in August and we are surprised that he continues to work three months after that without the post having been advertised," union spokesperson Sello Mononela said.
"We expected the post to be advertised like those of others whose contracts expired earlier this year," he said.
"We are surprised that he has continued to work as if nothing happened."
Mononela said workers were also "gatvol" about the numerous marches by communities in protest over a lack of service delivery.
He said of late angry villagers from Kgapane, Senwamokgope and Mabulane marched to the council to complain about a water shortage, roads, poor health facilities and land for residential use and farming.
"We, therefore, call for his removal or else we will render the municipality ungovernable," Mononela said.
Municipal mayor City Modjadji yesterday said the workers should hand their grievances to their union representatives, who would negotiate with management and report back to them while they continued working.
Modjadji said it was a blatant lie that the manager's contract had expired.
"We renewed the contract in August to the end of November.
"Whoever has a problem with this should wait until the end of November to complain," Modjadji said.
EMPLOYEES DOWN TOOLS
ANGRY workers of the cash-strapped Letaba municipality in Limpopo have threatened to bring its operations to a standstill if the manager's post is not advertised by Friday next week.
The workers, belonging to the South African Municipal Workers Union (Samwu) and Independent Municipal Workers Union (Imatu), downed tools at the municipality in Modjajiskloof yesterday.
They are demanding that municipal manager Sakkie Mutshinyali be relieved of his duties immediately.
Work came to a standstill from 7am when nearly 570 union members danced and sang in front of the council building.
The usual council services, such as applications for driver's licences and the accounts department, were affected by the work boycott as most, if not all, the workers took part.
The workers claimed Mutshinyali was "slow" when it came to ensuring service delivery in deserving communities.
"His contract lapsed in August and we are surprised that he continues to work three months after that without the post having been advertised," union spokesperson Sello Mononela said.
"We expected the post to be advertised like those of others whose contracts expired earlier this year," he said.
"We are surprised that he has continued to work as if nothing happened."
Mononela said workers were also "gatvol" about the numerous marches by communities in protest over a lack of service delivery.
He said of late angry villagers from Kgapane, Senwamokgope and Mabulane marched to the council to complain about a water shortage, roads, poor health facilities and land for residential use and farming.
"We, therefore, call for his removal or else we will render the municipality ungovernable," Mononela said.
Municipal mayor City Modjadji yesterday said the workers should hand their grievances to their union representatives, who would negotiate with management and report back to them while they continued working.
Modjadji said it was a blatant lie that the manager's contract had expired.
"We renewed the contract in August to the end of November.
"Whoever has a problem with this should wait until the end of November to complain," Modjadji said.