After months of intensive engagements, eThekwini Municipality Mayor, Councillor Cyril Xaba’s intervention has helped resolve the impasse between the Municipality and former plumbers.
This follows a feedback meeting convened by the Mayor yesterday and attended by the Chairperson of the Trading Services Committee, Councillor Mdu Nkosi, the Head of Water and Sanitation, Siyanda Mwelase, and representatives of the plumbers.
Among the issues raised by the plumbers were the rates payable to them and their recruitment by the main contractors from the existing database.
All parties agreed that the hourly rates for the three categories of plumbers will remain unchanged as follows:
- Category A: R592.51 per hour
- Category B: R353.01 per hour
- Category C: R238.60 per hour
The parties further agreed that the 15 percent management fee will no longer be deducted from the hourly rate of plumbers.
An agreement was also reached that the five main contractors will source plumbers from the existing pool of 1 886 plumbers. No plumber will be permitted to work on municipal infrastructure without the necessary accreditation.
Recruitment for the first shift of 712 plumbers has commenced, with 337 plumbers already recruited from the database. A further 375 plumbers are still required to complete the first shift.
Representatives of the plumbers committed themselves to assisting with the submission of names of plumbers to finalise the recruitment process for both the first and second shifts.
The plumbers welcomed the agreement as a huge relief, particularly the issue of the 15 percent management fee.
Mayor Xaba thanked the plumbers for embracing the new model and assured them of his commitment to working with them to improve service delivery in the city.
“I am happy that we have now found one another, as we have resolved the issues the plumbers were complaining about. This latest development paves the way for them to resume their duties under the five main contractors and start addressing the service delivery backlog,” said Mayor Xaba.
The previous contract with the plumbers was declared non-compliant with the Municipal Finance Management Act, as the contract had been designed before the legislation came into effect. To regularise the process, the Municipality was required to follow proper supply chain management procedures, including advertising a tender.
This process resulted in five companies being appointed as main contractors to provide plumbing services.
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