Note to the Editors: Please note Dr Imran Keeka, MPL sound bite in English
The DA in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) is concerned that provincial Legislature meetings – scheduled to finish at 6pm during the course of this week – may be cancelled due to a dispute between the administration and staff who are involved in supporting committees.
Today’s Education portfolio committee meeting, scheduled for 3pm to 6pm, has been cancelled and converted to an online briefing from 3pm to 4.30pm. This will only allow a small portion of the agenda items to be discussed and will also not constitute a formal committee meeting. The potential for other meeting cancellations this week is likely and will definitely have a knock-on effect.
Staff are unhappy that late working hours have become institutionalised without any consultation with them. This has been communicated with legislature management in writing (view here).
DA will write to KZN Speaker, Nontembeko Boyce, to raise its concerns around this matter and urge her to ensure that her administration responds to staff with the utmost urgency. The last thing anyone wants is protest action in the form of staff leaving meetings at 4.30pm or picketing at the legislature opening later this month.
The DA has established that staff understand that the institution does not have funding to financially compensate them for any overtime. In an effort to meet their employer at some point, they have stated that they do believe that a working solution can be found.
This could possibly be in the form of increased leave days to cover overtime. Staff have also requested clarity regarding whether overtime, such as working beyond 4.30pm, will now become the norm.
As part of the Government of Provincial Unity (GPU), the DA is very aware that the KZN Legislature has a large amount of work to get through during the current parliamentary term. While additional hours may be needed to get the job done, the alternative in the form of extra leave days is not an unreasonable suggestion.
The DA has no doubt that under Speaker Boyce’s able leadership an amicable, cooperative solution can be found – one that will work for both the institution and its officials.