SAMWU in Limpopo will March until shoes are worn out! Over grave concerns of corruption

Numerous acts of corruption and maladministration continues in local municipalities in Limpopo province on a daily basis, to make matters worse this corruption and maladministration continues to be justified as Good Governance.

SAMWU, the largest Local Government Union has since March 2010 been engaging with the administration of Limpopo over issues of corruption and maladministration, headed by Premier Mathale, ANC provincial structures and regional structures without any success.

SAMWU is sincerely concerned about the recent Vhembe Regional Executive Committee political decision, to redeploy one of the most corrupt Musina Municipal Managers, of which the Premier instructed and stopped the move and its implementation.

The Municipal Manager in question still continues to award tenders to friends, without tender advertisements. All of the above with evidence has been brought to the attention of the Premier by SAMWU, but nothing has been done to root out the grave forms of corruption evident in the Limpopo Province.

The Union is convinced that the head of Provincial Administration is protecting some individuals who are corrupt to the core, even after being made aware of their corrupt activity.

To mention but one incident of corruption that took place in the province; Ba-Phalaborwa Information Centre was set to spend R250 000 on a project but mysteriously, at the completion of the project the sum of 5 Million Rand was claimed.

These are serious concerns and SAMWU believes that Mass Action is now the only solution, in dealing with such blatant forms of corruption.

Numerous memorandums, with evidence have been forwarded to the Premier with regard to corruption in the Province but to date; we have not received any feedback from the Premier. Workers have indicated that they are sick and tired of corruption and willing to march until their shoes are worn out!

SAMWU and its Federation COSATU will embark on mass action over corruption in the Province. The community as well as Church organizations will be mobilized to take part in the strike action.

Finally we are calling upon the urgent intervention by the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Sicelo Shiceka. We are calling on the Minister to immediately establish a task team to act on corruption in the Limpopo Province and to act on the evidence of this corruption the Union has in its possession.

Statement issued by Tahir Sema, South African Municipal Workers' Union of COSATU.
National Spokesperson, June 17 2010

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