Aaron Motswana has expressed serious concerns about the ill treatment of workers at Brits Water Treatment Plant Upgrade Project.

The Portfolio Committee on Premier, Finance, Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs chaired by Hon. Aaron Motswana has expressed serious concerns about the ill treatment of workers at Brits Water Treatment Plant Upgrade Project.

This follows an oversight visit at the R845 million project where workers informed the committee that there have been serious breaches on basic conditions of employment from both the Department of Water and Sanitation, Magalies Water and companies contracted on site.

The project involves the refurbishment of the Brits Water Treatment works, upgrade of the plant from 60 Ml/day to an 80 Ml/day; upgrading of the process trail to enable the plant to treat deteriorating raw water; upgrading of raw water pump station and pipeline and upgrading of the distribution system up to the bulk water reservoirs.

The oversight visit forms part of the Legislature’s oversight week in various municipalities under the Bojanala District Municipality. The program is aimed at strengthening oversight and public participation and to promote accountability and transparency in government.

Different Portfolio Committees will conduct oversight visits to various projects in the district to check their status quo and challenges therein.
Workers informed the committee that since the project commenced in 2013, there has been labour disputes such as registering of workers at the Department of Employment and Labour for Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) benefits and for other statutory payments.

Ms. Damania Kgeletswe who has been working as a general worker at the project since 2016 said whenever the employees raised concerns on their working conditions, they have been threatened with dismissals. “Our employers have been deducting UIF funds but when we enquired about them at the department, we were told that we are not registered including for other benefits. Whenever we inform our labour desk office, we are taken from pillar to post. Our supervisors are also not treating us well as we are threatened and intimidated by management,” said Ms. Kgeletswe.

“We do not even have wage rate per hour as our employers have not been paying us fairly. Basic conditions of employment are not adhered to as we do not enjoy general employee benefits such as annual or sick leave and pension. Some employees who went on retirement did not receive their pension, and we feel that the Department of Employment and Labour is failing us as employees on the project,” said Ms. Kgeletswe.

A representative at the Department of Water and Sanitation, Mr. Jimmy Leburu admitted before the Committee that since the project commenced in 2013, there has been serious labour issues such as unregistered employees for UIF and uneven employment contracts. “Our department has been communicating with the labour department to ensure that the employees on site are registered but unfortunately the process took long and we were promised that the matter will be resolved in due course as previous submissions were not captured accordingly,” said Mr. Leburu.

A committee member, Hon. Boitumelo Moiloa said it is disheartening that at a mega project such as the Brits Water Treatment Plant upgrade, the employees have been treated unfairly for over 10 years. “This project was supposed to benefit communities through employment and provision of water yet it is the opposite as there has been consistent delays on finalizing it,” said Hon. Moiloa.

Hon. Aaron Motswana said the Department of Employment and Labour should conduct an enquiry into workers issues dating back to when the project commenced in 2013 to check whether the employees have been registered correctly including on salaries, benefits and UIF contributions. “The department should further submit a detailed report on a breakdown of all employees’ records or profiles and whether basic conditions of employment have been adhered to and paid accordingly,” said Hon. Motswana.

He further stated that a comprehensive report from the companies contracted on the project should be submitted on their employees’ records, wage rate and employment contracts. “We will not allow our people to be exploited by both the Department of Water and Sanitation, Magalies and the companies contracted on the project. The allegations of certain foremen on the project that are intimidating employees should immediately stop and the department must investigate them thoroughly,” said Hon. Motswana.

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