DURBAN - The EFF has called on the newly elected leadership of the SA Local Government Association (Salga) in the province to take action against an SA Local Government Bargaining Council (SALGBC) official for allegedly failing to implement the Employment Equity Act.
Salga on Monday elected King Cetshwayo District mayor Thami Ntuli as its new provincial chairperson.
Scores of EFF supporters picketed outside the council’s offices in Glenwood to demand the immediate implementation of the act.
EFF MP Hlengiwe Mkhaliphi, who heads the party’s labour desk and is a member of the eThekwini executive committee (exco), presented a list of demands to the council including the immediate resignation of the official of colour the party accused of failing to implement the act.
eThekwini exco member Thabani Miya claimed the SALGBC was dominated by one race and must be demographically balanced and that pleas from black-majority workers were ignored. Miya said the SALGBC refused to implement its own Compliance Order on Employment Equity Plan as ratified and stipulated in the Employment Equity Act (EEA), thus committing a gross violation of the act as an employer and regulator of local government workplace practices.
Miya urged the council to assemble its full staff complement to discuss and contribute to the review of the Employment Equity Plan (EEP). The EFF gave the council 30 days to implement these demands.
In response, the SALGBC’s lawyer, Irvin Lawrence said they complied with the EEA 55 of 1998 and had implemented an EEP as required in terms of legislation. In addition, the SALGBC had consulted in terms of Section 17 of the EEA about its employment equity plan and measures.
“It is unclear as to what the basis is for the EFF seeking to demand the resignation of Mr Bill Govender. The SALGBC as an employer cannot compel an employee to resign as this is inconsistent with the Labour Relations Act 66 of 1995. A resignation is never at the instance of an employer but a personal decision of an employee.”
Lawrence denied that there was ill-treatment of black staff and abuse of power, and said the EFF’s demands relate to workplace issues which are internal in nature and consequently they do not fall within the remit of any political parties.
Daily News