More than 50 City of Tshwane workers at a Region 3’s waste management depot every morning only to find themselves idle due to a lack of resources and vehicles, and instead pass the time playing games like ludo and dice outside the offices.
This was a shocking discovery made by the Member of Mayoral Committee for Agriculture and Environment Management, Obakeng Ramabodu, during his oversight visit at the facility this week.
Workers, shown in a social media video, told Ramabodu that they lack necessary tools and about 50 of them often have no work to do despite receiving monthly salaries from the municipality.
“This is because of the management. The management must bring trucks because workers want to go to work,” one of the workers said.
Ramabodu informed the workers that while there won’t be disciplinary action taken against them, playing games like ludo during work hours needs to stop.
During his oversight visit, he addressed around 200 workers who are responsible for keeping the town clean and providing municipal services, including driving municipal trucks.
He mentioned that the visit has been beneficial, the visit revealed several issues including the poor working environment for the workers, including unfit toilet and shower facilities.
“But also we have taken concerns of workers on issues of overtime and management. What is shocking is that more than 50 workers who wake up every morning come to this depot without doing anything. Some of them I found playing a ludo and dice,” he said.
When he asked them why they were idle, he was told it was due to a lack of necessary tools.
The workers informed him that they had no tasks to perform because some drivers were receiving salaries without doing any work.
Ramabodu said he considered the matter urgent and planned to ensure it was addressed by the end of the week.
“There are no workers who can wake up in the morning and take the salary of the municipality without providing any work for the municipality,” he said.
He highlighted that despite spending on tenders, the municipality hasn’t been able to purchase personal protective equipment (PPE) for its workers.
“Our workers have only one set of overalls which is totally unacceptable and we are going to follow up on that. A worker must have a PPE that will last so that that worker can be able to provide services,” he said.
The City of Tshwane spokesperson Lindela Mashigo has yet to respond to a request for comment on the claims made by Ramabodu.
rapula.moatshe@inl.co.za
