ActionSA Deeply Disappointed by JMPD’s Failure to Address Concerning Matters Brought Forth by Security Workers

Today, ActionSA joined forces with security guards from the City of Johannesburg JMPD to picket outside the Martindale offices. This picket comes after a failure by the department to address the valid concerns and dissatisfactions of the security employees during their meetings.

Security employees are left frustrated by the management’s refusal to prioritise their grievances. It is said that since 2018, after they were insourced during President Herman Mashaba’s tenure, employees have been left exploited, exposed to poor working conditions, intimidated, and undermined by their executives.

On the 7th of March, workers say that they submitted a memorandum of demand, amongst many other issues, stating the following:

– Grading: Security guard grading is essential in determining salary scales based on experience and qualifications; currently, the City is not adhering to this process as workers say that they work as “general workers.”

– Improve working conditions: it is alleged that the guard rooms are in total despair with roof leakages, making it unbearable for workers to be productive on rainy days.

– Request to have security guards capacitated with the necessary training and tools of trade in line with the private security industry regulation authority.

It is alleged that from 7 March to date, security employees have not received a response since submitting their memorandum. Today, after long hours of standing in the rain and calling for officials to come out and provide answers to the workers, they were informed that no one could come out to address them as the acting manager was on leave.

ActionSA is deeply concerned by the behaviour of government officials who fail to account for their aggrieved workers. The City of Johannesburg’s JMPD unit is failing to deliver on its development goals, poorly performing with so much bureaucratic red tape.

Workers have been told to return on 16 April 2024. Upon the return of the HOD for Public Safety, ActionSA will once again join the workers in their plight to overcome the challenges they are experiencing and table relevant stakeholders to seek progressive resolutions.

In the interim, the ActionSA City of Johannesburg Caucus leader, Nobuhle Mthembu, has written to the City Manager, Mr. Floyd Brink, to address the undermentioned issues within the next 7 working days.

As a shadow minister for the Public Services Portfolio under ActionSA, we reiterate our position that when we take up seats in parliament in 2024, we are going to push to introduce legislation that puts an end to the exploitative practices that undermine security workers.

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