Johannesburg - Employees associated with the multiparty coalition in the City of Joburg will allegedly receive a three-month payout should mayor, Mpho Phalatse be voted out of office and the mayoral committee dissolved.
The Star has seen a message sent to members and staff of the multiparty coalition in which they are informed that city manager Bryne Maduka has signed an agreement ensuring that the employees will be looked after for three months after the political leaders vacate office.
"Dear colleagues, I trust you are well. Last week, the city manager signed off on the loss of office gratuity report. The remuneration that political staff will receive in three months. The report was noted by the mayoral committee on Tuesday, so we may now communicate on the report. The next step is to amend contracts," read the message.
Phalatse’s spokesperson, Mabine Seabe, confirmed to The Star that political staff will receive a three-month payout once the current administration leaves office. He said this was a legal process that was done under the ambit of labour law.
"The mayoral committee approved a report that does not require council approval and will grant officials in private offices regardless of political affiliation or the lack of a three-month out-of-office gratuity," Seabe said.
Seabe said that the city had granted a six-month payout to the 130 workers who were fired after it was discovered that their contracts had been illegally converted into permanent contracts.
"The matter has nothing to do with political parties, nor was anyone fired. Their contracts reached their natural conclusion; to state that officials were fired, which would be blatantly untrue. In fact, the previous officials received a six-month out-of-office gratuity," Seabe said.
The Star understands that Phalatse had been putting pressure on the city manager to sign the agreement. She had been receiving pressure from members of the multiparty coalition.
Her vigour to protect the political staff of the multiparty coalition has been seen as two-faced. This follows the city’s decision to get rid of 130 workers who were linked to the ANC in the previous administration.
The case was still being heard in court, but it was widely reported that the political staff who had been fired by the DA-led administration had lost their homes, cars, and even had to downgrade their children's education.
"This is a matter of terms and conditions of employment. The city manager has the delegated authority to determine or amend such conditions," Seabe said.
The Star