Daily Sun (July 3 2013) - FOR five years, they have stood by as jobs promised to them went to other people. And whenever they complain, they are told to be patient. WE HAVE WAITED ALL THESE YEARS. HOW LONG DO YOU STILL WANT US TO BE PATIENT, THEY ASK!
The storming of the offices of the Emfuleni Local Municipality is only the latest chapter in a drama that started in 2008. With tears streaming down her face, a desperate 46-year-old job seeker standing outside the offices told Daily Sun about the frustration and anger of hoping and praying that the call will come.
"I keep hoping I will go back to the job I lost all those years ago," she said. "We come here to the offices and they promise us that soon there will be work. But we just keep waiting."
The angry job seekers claimed more than 40 other people have been given jobs while they still waited to be called to start work. Cops and paramedics were called to attend to a hostage situation at the offices in Vanderbijlpark in the Vaal, south of Joburg, on Monday afternoon.
This was after former municipal workers who used to work for the Expanded Public Works programme shut down all entrances and exits to the municipal building and demanded to speak to senior managers.
Four municipal officials, including personal assistants, Khethiwe Ntombela from Corporate Services and Ndaba Maseko, the deputy municipal manager for Corporate Services, were held inside the building.