Nokulunga Majola reports in Elitsha that che city of eThekwini is facing major service disruptions due to a protest by former Extended Public Works Programme (EPWP) workers. The protest started on Monday, with workers camping outside Durban City Hall since Tuesday night, demanding permanent jobs after years of short-term contracts. Last Friday, EPWP workers marched to Durban City Hall with a memorandum of demands before their contracts expired. They became angry when the municipality sought new job applicants for similar roles. Sibongile Shange, a 13-year EPWP worker, was frustrated that the city wouldn’t hire them permanently despite needing their services.
On Tuesday, the protest grew as workers stayed overnight at City Hall, demanding job security. Silindile Khumalo from the Municipal and Allied Trade Union of South Africa (Matusa) said they were preventing new interviews and waiting for a response from the city. By Wednesday, the protest disrupted waste collection and street sweeping services. The municipality advised residents to keep their refuse on their properties. Municipal spokesperson Gugu Sisilana said future projects would follow the 2024/25 budget.
The protest is due to budget cuts. EPWP funding dropped from R42 million to R18.79 million, reducing participants from 4,155 to 1,276.
