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As double overtime payments and service delivery backlogs in Dawid Kruiper municipality pile up, the DA is opposing the municipality’s decision to close shop once a month for motivational days for staff.

On Friday, 29th of July, I found doors of the municipality locked, without any notice having been provided to councillors or members of the public. This caused a disruption in service delivery, particularly for residents who had travelled from outside to address service delivery issues.

On enquiry, it came to light that the South African Municipal Workers’ Union (SAMWU) had requested permission from the Municipal Manager to hold a “SAMWU Day” on the last Friday of every month to participate in sports, like netball and soccer and increase staff morale.

On the Sunday of the same weekend, I then spotted seven municipal workers, filling up potholes with sand. The workers, who had spent normal working hours of Friday enjoying a motivational fun-day, then claimed double overtime.

Already municipal overtime totalled R1,925 million for April and R2,079 million for May. With the municipality now set to lose an additional working day a month, overtime payments are set to increase further.

The municipality is already failing to adequately deliver services during current working hours. This is evident by June statistics, that show that while 200 sewerage blockages in addition to other complaints were reported, only 34 were fully addressed. Another day of work lost per month, will aggravate the rapidly declining state of Dawid Kruiper which is increasingly characterised by potholes, leaking water pipes, street lights that never get switched off and sewage spills.

The DA will table our opposition to the monthly SAMWU Fridays during the next council sitting. The municipality is not performing optimally within budgetary limits, and there is currently no justification for it surrendering one working day per month.

Issued by Henk Opperman, Cllr - Dawid Kruiper Municipality