DEMAWUSA AFFILIATED WORKERS PROTEST OUTSIDE BRAAMFONTEIN CENTRE

By Lebohang Ndashe

On 15 May, Braamfontein Centre buzzed with chants and struggle songs as workers affiliated with the Democratic Municipal and Allied Workers Union of South Africa (DEMAWUSA), protested demanding to be insourced permanently by Pikitup ahead of the end of their contract’s duration next month among many other things. The demonstration was attended by DEMAWUSA’s General Secretary Meshack Ntshauba and Regional Secretary Ndanganeni Mulaudzi.

DEMAWUSA included provision of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), abolishing of tendering system, investigation of corruption within Pikitup and establishment of Employee Share Ownership Plan (ESOP) in their submitted memorandum.

VOW FM News spoke to some of the disgruntled employees who painted a bleak picture within the waste management entity. The workers allege that Pikitup’s recruitment process is flawed, claiming that some employees were employed without being interviewed.

One of the protesting workers, Minenhle Zondo, told VOW FM News that Pikitup has been taking them for granted for the past seven months and they are sick and tired of working for R120.00 a day.

“We tried to engage with Pikitup’s management however our cry for help fell on deaf ears, they promised that we will earn R2600.00 but we have been getting R2000 instead,” said Zondo.

Pikitup has since rejected DEMAWU’s demands stating that it is an unrecognized union prompting the union and its affiliated workers to take the matter to the Labour Court next Monday, 20 May 2024.

“Hopefully on Monday we will be able to give an update on the outcomes of court proceedings,” Mulaudzi told VOW FM NEWS.