Workers say phanzi with terminations!

ABOUT 108 Extended Public Works Programme (EPWP) and Community Work Programme (CWP) participants stand to lose their jobs.

The municipal workers from Daveyton, Wattville and Benoni in Ekurhuleni dumped their tools on Wednesday, 8 January to protest the imminent termination of their contracts.

This after the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) announced the termination of contracts of the Community Work Programme and EPWP workers aged 55 years and older.

The department said this was due to budget cuts and other related issues.

During the protest, the workers carried placards around Daveyton Square.

Workers' representative, Joy Malapela said they're worried as the terminations are going to affect many households.

"We have gogos who support grandchildren and their children with this money. We appeal to government to reconsider this," she said.

Another representative, Sibusiso Mashinini from Wattville said they're worried this will not only affect those over 55.

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"We also hear that those who worked more than five years, but are still under 55, may also be terminated. What Cogta is doing is very wrong. They are only thinking for themselves and don't care about people on the ground," he said.

About 67 000 are to lose their jobs countrywide.

Meanwhile, Cosatu is vehemently opposing the planned contract terminations.

The union said cuts must be made to the wealthy who can afford it, not to the poorest members of society who have no resources to fall back on.

"If cuts are needed, let them be applied to ministers, mayors and councillors. If early retirement is a newfound economic path to prosperity, let it be applied to cabinet and mayoral committees, not to those who have no pension funds and will not qualify for the old age grant for another five years," said Cosatu.

Cosatu said it will seek an urgent meeting with the ministers for Cogta and finance to ensure the decision is reversed.

"We want the president to intervene decisively and put an end to this pending nightmare for these workers," said Cosatu.