MyPE

Community Business Directory, Event Listings, News and Views from Gqeberha, Nelson Mandela Bay

NMBRA has got your back

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Dear MyPE

The Afrikaans civil rights group, Afriforum, threatened to restore power to affected areas of Nelson Mandela Bay, if no action was taken by the municipality.

Speaking in a statement on Friday, the organisation’s Deputy Chairperson in Port Elizabeth, Kobus Gerber, said the threats were made after electricity to the Gelvandale, Hillside, Rocklands, Cotswold, Hellenvale, Palmridge, Seaview, Neave, Parsons Hill, New Brighton, Algoa Park, Bethelsdorp and Riebeeck Hoogte areas were abruptly cut on Saturday without warning.

He added that the group had written a letter to Nelson Mandela Executive Mayor Danny Jordaan, saying that it will take matters into its own hands if power was not restored by 18h00 on 30 July.

“We were given swift assurance by Mayor Jordaan that the municipality’s Head of Energy and Electricity is attending to matter, caused by damaged cables and possible sabotage at the hands of striking employees,” Gerber said.

“Afrifroum has already placed a number of contractors on alert to commence repairs if the Metro goes against is promise”.

Reason for Strike

The interim Scarce Skill Allowance was introduced in 2007 and approved in September 2008 to indentify the skills shortage experienced in NMBM and a tool to attract scarce skill staff in response to the inflexible pay scales which were lower than what the private sector was paying at the time. A scarce skill allowance of 10% to be paid to employees who qualifies until the implementation of TASK. A total of 483 employees to benefit from the scarce skill strategy at a monthly cost of R 1,18 million and to be terminated in April 2014.

During December 2013 a TASK final outcome report agreement were signed between the NMBM and the trade unions IMATU and SAMWU. The scarce skill allowance were never terminated by the ED for Corporate Services Mr Mod Ndoyana and staff have seen it as a permanent fixture. The scarce skill allowance were always to fall away with the implementation of TASK.

A resolution passed on 18 June 2015 by council stated that scarce skill allowance paid to certain employees be terminated with effect from 1 July 2015. The Technical Staff of the Electricity and Energy Directorate were extremely unhappy with the proposed removal of the scarce skill and a illegal strike by unhappy employees have caused an electrical crisis after the heavy rains and 13 area’s been effected.

Regards

Kobus Gerber
NMB Ratepayers Association

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Alan Straton

Chief Cook, Bottle Washer and Broom Mechanic at MyPE
Passionate about Port Elizabeth and definitely NOT packing for Perth. Alan's ethos is epitomised in the words of Nelson Mandela; "I have fought against white domination and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the idea of a democratic and free society. If need be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die." See more articles by Alan.