Outsourced security workforce could soon be permanent municipal workers
Nie Cele
In a tale of twist that could have made radical theorist, Karl Marx to be on cloud nine, Outsourcing of services and exploitation of employees will be a thing of the past in the Joburg municipality.
But this will only happen if the Democratic Alliance (DA) led municipality keep to its promises.
This was revealed by the executive mayor of Joburg, Herman Mashaba.
In his maiden state of the city address. the bellicose mayor told the packed audience in the council chamber that one of the factors underpinning his administration are five pillars which will be the bedrock on which change is going to be delivered to the residents.
He argued that, the first of these five pillars is to grow the economy and create jobs.
“We see economic growth, which creates jobs, as the central enabler for realizing opportunities for all residents. In the coming months we will unveil the economic policy of our administration that will take this city to a 5% economic growth rate by 2021.
“ Insourcing’ I am pleased to announce, that we will be adopting an approach to insource some of the identified services consumed by the City.”
Acknowledging party’s alliance the EFF, whom he said have worked closely with his administration on this issue.
He said,“ From 1 of January 2018, we will initiate the insourcing of security services in the City of Johannesburg. Currently the City of Johannesburg spends R360 million on security services. It produces a situation where the City is effectively paying R16 000 per security guard, and yet each individual guard is earning in the region of only R4000 per month.
As a City, we are kept safe by these guards. It is time that we return the favour and provide them with the security of permanent employment and better pay.”
The mayor also hinted that his administration will also be looking at the contracted services of catering and cleaning.
“This will help us in determining how we can follow a similar model of insourcing,” Mashaba reasoned.
