Blame game as SPTC guards strike
Onalenna Kelebeile | Tuesday June 10, 2014 17:06
By yesterday afternoon, no Selebi-Phikwe Town Council (SPTC) facilities were rendered security services as workers of the security company engaged last December decided to apply the principle of ‘no pay no work’.
The company’s employees thronged the office of the deputy Town Clerk Odirile Kelebetse, appealing to him to contact the company managing director, Kevin Selabe to attend to their plight.
While Kelebetse reasoned that Selabe should be honouring pay agreement with the workers and not forcing SPTC to go without the required services, the security firm boss blamed the mess on late payments from council.
Selabe added that the disputed tax cuts have put his company under financial pressure.
Enraged workers said since they were employed as security guards in December last year, they either were paid half their salaries or payments arrived late.
They added that as a result, many have had their houses locked by landlords for failure to pay monthly rentals.
Some of the security guards told Mmegi that many of them have gone five months without pay.
“In March our salaries were reduced by P50 without any explanation and in April P250 was deducted from each one of us,” they said.
Even to get their monthly dues, they have had to approach the deputy mayor’s office for intervention. The security guards also decried lack of equipment such as handcuffs, boots, torches and batons.
“We had hoped that those who were not paid the previous month would receive their back pays but to this day they have not. Yet they are expected to report for duty everyday.
“Today we down our tools as we demand our dues. Our houses are locked. We have no food let alone bus fair for our children to go to school,” said one irate worker.
Kelebetse told Mmegi that council has tried its best to have the company honour its obligations to its workers.
“We called the company owner over the matter and he promised to address the situation. We also talked to our legal department to process the security company’s cheque on time to enable payment of workers on time,” said Kelebetse. He added that Selabe raised concern that he overlooked a clause in the tender documents to the effect that tax is deducted from the tender amount.
Kelebetse said the issue was presented to councillors during committee meetings where some councillors suggested that the security company’s contract be terminated.
“However, we decided we first explore ways to get the company owner to correct the situation. We will try our best to resolve this issue as council because even council management is aware of the problem with the security company engaged by council,” he said.
He said the council does not owe the security company anything and regretted that council facilities are without security from Monday.
Selabe said payments are being processed and that workers would be paid by Friday.
He, however, faulted SPTC for paying the security company late, adding that it is a long time since he raised the concern with council management.
“We charged council P5.45 per hour but we later realised that council has started recovering tax from us yet the amount we charged council in the tender document was vat inclusive.
“We wrote to council to address the issue of tax because we are operating at a loss in Selebi-Phikwe,” he said.
Selabe assured workers that they will receive their payments before Friday and that all necessary equipment will be available next week.
Global Security Company has been engaged by council on 18 months contract that started in December last year.
The 125 guards are engaged to provide security at SPTC offices, SHHA, supplies, works, abattoir and fire departments, among other council facilities.