Gauteng MEC for Health, Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko, has slammed the protesters who stormed a ceremony to unveil a fleet of emergency services in Mamelodi, Tshwane on Wednesday.
Nkomo-Ralehoko and Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi were unveiling today 255 vehicles that will help reduce the emergency services response time when a group of Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) workers with placards written “stop exploiting EPWP” stormed the event demanding permanent employment.
The workers also demanded a meeting with the MEC and Lesufi to address their demands. Nkomo-Ralehoko and Lesufi eventually agreed to meet with the aggrieved workers and it was not known what was agreed upon at the time of going to print.
But before acceding to the meeting, Nkomo Ralehoko said there were people in Gauteng who were using workers to cause anarchy in the department and that she wouldn’t allow that.
“Premier. You didn’t put me there to promote anarchy. I am going to do things by the book as you have said. If there is no money to make them permanent I can’t do that. I will employ them as EPWP people that get the money from the grant.
“I have given them the opportunity to apply, most of them have applied including these ones that are here. They have applied. What they want to do Premier is not to move for other workers to come in the process,” said the MEC.
“When they signed the contract it was written for one year. It is not two years but we had to do this and extend it because they are crying as you have seen them. We understand that they need jobs and we can’t pretend that they don’t,” she added.
A protester, Zodwa Msiza said they are part of the support staff and they want the Department of Health to allocate a budget for them and hire them permanently.
