Matatiele Unions oppose Municipal Manager’s gate closure for late workers

Trade unions representing workers at Matatiele Local Municipality have voiced their opposition to Municipal Manager Advocate Mothusi Lepheane’s decision to close the gate at the municipality’s Mountain View offices to employees who arrive late for work.
On Friday, municipal workers’ vehicles were seen queuing along the R56 road outside the offices after the entrance gate was closed and manned by security guards. Employees arriving late were reportedly required to sign a register as proof of their late arrival.
Municipal employees are expected to report for duty by 07:30. However, workers were still arriving at the offices at around 08:00 on Friday.
Speaking to The Informer, Lepheane said the measure was intended to remind employees of the importance of punctuality and reporting for duty on time.
However, the South African Municipal Workers’ Union (SAMWU) and the Independent Municipal and Allied Trade Union (IMATU) have distanced themselves from the action, saying they are seeking a meeting with the municipal manager to establish the legality of the measure.
SAMWU representative Salathiso Ntabeni and IMATU representative Andile Nogaya said they did not support the gate closure and wanted to engage management on the matter.
The practice is not new at the municipality. Former municipal manager Dr Tsepang Nakin reportedly introduced a similar measure during his tenure. Some residents and observers believe workers were more disciplined during that period, while others allege that punctuality and attendance have deteriorated since his departure.
There are also allegations that some municipal employees report for duty only three days a week, usually on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. Further claims suggest that attendance becomes particularly poor on Fridays, especially around payday.
However, these claims have not been independently verified.
Responding to the allegations of poor attendance, Nogaya said the union had never received such reports from management.
“If that is true, it is wrong and something that we will never condone. We are dealing with adults here, of which each and every one has signed an employment contract with the employer, and therefore workers need to respect that,” said Nogaya.
Ntabeni, meanwhile, said SAMWU had also opposed the practice when Nakin was municipal manager, arguing that the gate closure was unlawful.
He further argued that management should first address the conduct of senior officials before taking action against junior employees.
“The Municipal Manager needs to whip the managers first because it is they who do not come to work, especially on Fridays and when it’s payday. If that is the situation, how do you expect junior officers to perform when their bosses are not at work? It must start with the managers,” Ntabeni said.
The unions’ concerns raise questions about how the municipality enforces workplace discipline, including whether the same standards are applied to employees at all levels.
The planned meeting between the unions and the municipal manager is expected to provide an opportunity for the parties to discuss the legality of the gate closure and find common ground on addressing punctuality and attendance at the municipality.

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