Officials within the Nelson Mandela Bay transport department have raised their grievances after some long-serving employees were apparently sidelined at the first awards ceremony of its kind in the Eastern Cape. According to them, long-serving officials were overlooked while newer staff were awarded for their services at a ceremony held at The Barn in Greenbushes on Tuesday. A day before the ceremony, they also wrote a letter to transport and community safety MEC Xolile Nqatha.
It is understood that Nqatha shared the letter with head of department Andile Fani because the grievances raised by the National Education, Health and Allied Workers Union (Nehawu) branch leadership in the Sarah Baartman district were seen as “an operational matter”. The Nehawu Sarah Baartman district encompasses offices in Gqeberha (main office), with satellite offices in Humansdorp, Graaff-Reinet, Makhanda, Aberdeen, Port Alfred and Cookhouse. Eastern Cape transport department spokesperson Unathi Binqose confirmed that Fani had received correspondence from Nehawu.
“The letters were brought to the attention of the relevant internal structures,” Binqose said. “The department will engage Nehawu formally at an opportune time.” An official said this week that 20 of his colleagues in Gqeberha alone were not honoured, in addition to others at satellite offices. “We are divided now.
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There are employees who were supposed to get their certificates to display with pride in their offices and homes — but were not awarded.” But the official said those who were not invited but had served for more than 20 years could still get their bonuses, which came with certificates. Another official said there were senior officials invited from five other transport department districts in the Eastern Cape and raised concerns about how their accommodation was paid.
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