The plight of contract workers in the eThekwini Municipality and other state departments throughout South Africa is a vivid reflection of our country’s harsh social and economic realities.
Despite the government’s promises and the ANC’s past resolutions to make all temporary workers permanent, most government departments are firing, instead of hiring contract workers, since Cyril Ramaphosa became president. The action by the ANC government is the opposite of what the ruling party had committed to doing. It shows their incompetence and lack of sincere commitment to addressing social challenges.
The fate of contract workers has only worsened with programmes such as the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) and the Public Employment Programme (PEP) abruptly shutting down, leaving more than 12000 workers in eThekwini alone without jobs, income, and prospects to survive.
As a result, many families are now living in destitution with no hope of finding sustainable employment. Despite calls for negotiations and engagement by workers’ unions, the ANC government has neglected the voices of those affected, an unbecoming trait for a political party that claims to be a pro-workers party.
It is the same ANC that promised to create 2.5 million jobs in the next five years in its election manifesto.
This is laughable given the track record of the party in terminating workers. Ramaphosa does not believe that the state should create employment, unlike the Jacob Zuma administration. Ramaphosa wants to fund private companies to create job opportunities, which benefit only capitalists.
The recent violent strikes by workers which have disrupted essential services, must be seen in the proper context. It is not only a protest against the lack of decent working conditions, but also a symbol of the incompetence and broken promises of the ANC. The party promised to create more employment opportunities, alleviate poverty, and improve workers’ conditions, yet their actions have done the complete opposite.
The anger of residents to these disruptions must be directed to the ANC and not the workers.
The plight of contract workers in the eThekwini municipalities and throughout the country has laid bare the incompetence of the ANCled government and its inability to manage affairs of state effectively.
This is another reason to vote out the ANC.
* Visvin Reddy ADeC President.
** The views expressed here are not necessarily those of Independent Media.
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