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ActionSA Joburg Caucus notes with great concern the impasse between the City of Johannesburg, security officers and cleaners over insourcing. The City cannot afford to wait for the now peaceful to turn hostile.

We call upon the current administration to embark on negotiations with the workers representatives to resolve the stalemate.

Under the leadership of former Mayor of Johannesburg, Herman Mashaba, a peaceful transition was ushered in which saw thousands of security guards and cleaners being insourced by the city. 

This was done precisely to revive the dignity of those who were employed in various city entities but most importantly to abolish‘tenderpreneurship’.  This successful model was achieved through dialogue and tolerance amongst political parties.

ActionSA believes that insourcing of workers is possible but the lack the political will has restricted this from coming into effect. 

The EFF’s silence in this regard therefore speaks volumes. This is the party that claimed victory when former Mayor Mashaba insourced the workers.

The EFF’s MMC of Public Safety in the City, Dr Mgcini Tshwaku, has the capacity to address some of these concerns but it appears as though his party has renege on their 2016 Municipal Election Manifesto.

Whilst we acknowledge that the city’s balance sheet is unstable, we strongly believe that insourcing is achievable.

To achieve this the government should take the money that is given to tenderpreneurs and instead pay it directly to these workers. 

As part of ActionSA’s social justice programme, we remain committed to advancing the cause of insourcing security guards and cleaners by state entities. We will ensure that as part of the multi-party government in Gauteng, we work with our coalition partners to see the insourcing programme through and restore the dignity of workers.

Issued by ActionSA