A push back by representatives of the 130 workers that the City of Johannesburg wants to fire has forced a climb down from the DA-led coalition.
The metropolitan municipality, one of the richest in the country, had given staff members in political offices until Friday to make representations on why they should not be thrown out.
Joburg mayor Mpho Phalatse and leaders of the coalition running the city argued that the mayoral committee under the leadership of the late Geoff Makhubo had converted contracts of the staff in political offices from fixed to permanent in contravention of the municipality’s recruitment policies.
At the heart of the dispute is the contention by the DA and other opposition parties that they were being forced to work with political staff hired by the ANC.
The staff, they say, were supposed to leave with the ANC leaders when the ruling party lost power after November’s local government elections. It was a dramatic week between the leadership of the city and representatives of the workers, who have threatened legal action.
On Friday, the city received a letter from the lawyers representing the workers asking for the extension of the deadline to Wednesday, the request was acceded to. This came after the lawyers wrote to acting city manager Melusi Mlandu saying the notices subjected workers to job insecurity and that the conduct of the city “may constitute intimidation and or unfair labour practice”.
Before receiving the Friday letter asking for the extension, the city had replied to Motale Inc, denying allegations of intimidation and unfair labour practice. The city also denied that the Friday deadline was unreasonable.
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