Nandi Sishuba leave the department
EMPLOYEES of the Eastern Cape Human Settlements Department brought work to a standstill yesterday, demanding that head Nandi Sishuba leave the department.
Employees, who are mostly members of the National Education Health and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu), said Sishuba’s contract had been “illegally” extended by a further two months after it expired a month ago.
They protested that the extension had been done by the department without union consultation and vowed not to work until Sishuba had vacated her post.
Department spokesman Lwandile Sicwetsha confirmed yesterday’s crisis, but said MEC Nombulelo Mabandla had tried to intervene but workers failed to attend a scheduled meeting with her.
“There was supposed to be a formal meeting yesterday with the employees where the MEC was to be available and answer their grievances. But most employees failed to attend. Instead they picketed outside the building,” Sicwetsha said.
Some employees spoken to yesterday said they would continue with protests until their grievances had been resolved.
“We will not go back to that building until this is resolved. There is no way that we will be ruled by this woman (Sishuba) – she must leave,” said a worker, who wanted to remain anonymous.
Another employee said workers were also not happy with their performance bonuses.
“We just can’t get anything right with the presence of this woman. It’s not that we hate her, but we hate what she is doing.”
One worker said “her recruitment plans are very poor, they are only focussing on the top structures, forgetting about us, the secretaries”.
Sicwetsha said management was busy trying to find a solution to the problems.
“Definitely, the department is trying to resolve the problems so that they won’t affect service delivery,” he said.
Efforts to get comment from Nehawu spokesman Xolani Malamulela drew a blank, as he was in a separate meeting. – Daily Dispatch, Avusa Group News
Keywords: - Nandi Sishuba, Eastern Cape, Human Settlements Department, mec, Lwandile Sicwetsha, post