SAMWU to march against racism, victimisation and bias disciplinary procedures in the City of Cape Town
25 May 2021
SAMWU to march against racism, victimisation and bias disciplinary procedures in the City of Cape Town
At its recent, Shopstewards Council held on Friday May 14, shopstewards belonging to the South African Municipal Workers’ Union (SAMWU), Cape Town Region, unanimously decided to stage a March against the City of Cape Town in defence of their rights as workers employed by the municipality.
Numerous examples of racism, inconsistent application of the city’s disciplinary procedures and unnecessary attacks on shopstewards in the form of warnings and disciplinary steps were registered by the shopstewards.
“In one example, a senior traffic officer intervened when a white officer in a lower rank assaulted another traffic officer, and was severely reprimanded and sworn at by the white junior officer, in front of other traffic officers,” says Mikel Khumalo, Regional Secretary, SAMWU Cape Metro Region.
According to Khumalo, when this senior black officer went to go and register a complaint with his seniors, he was told the white traffic officer in question, just bought a new car, a house and that his wife is pregnant, and that he cannot afford to be charged and sanctioned.
“On the contrary, this senior black officer, a Samwu shop steward, is now facing three disciplinary hearings running at the same time, with no leniency towards him,” says Khumalo.
City of Cape Town staff are constantly brought up on charges and sanctioned if the City discovers that family members or spouses are running businesses from their homes.
“We have one instance in Mitchells Plain where a senior law enforcement officer has been running a tuck-shop from council premises, amongst his goods are expired products. It has been alleged that some of his products has been taken from the warehouse where the confiscated goods of informal traders are kept,” says Khumalo.
A case has been lodged, but unlike other staff who are summarily suspended, this senior law enforcement officer are allowed to keep on working while his hearing is ongoing, and allowed to intimidate the whistle-blower on a daily basis.
As Samwu we will be Marching on Saturday May 29, from 10am, Starting at Keizergracht Street in Cape Town.
We will be presenting the City of Cape Town with clear-cut cases of racism, intimidation of our shopstewards, and the skewed implementation of their disciplinary procedures.
The march will be held as follows.
Date : Saturday May 29, 2021,
Time: 10am,
Venue: From Keizergracht Street, proceeds to Civic Centre, Cape Town.
Issued by SAMWU Boss Nxu (Cape Metro)
Mikel Kumalo,
Regional Secretary
0650215329
Or
Bridget Nkomana
Deputy Regional Secretary
0744840316