30 000 positions lay vacant in Local Government

The South African Municipal Workers Union (SAMWU) is demanding that all vacant positions in the Local Government Sector be filled as a matter of urgency. There are currently more than 30 000 vacant positions in the Local Government Sector - the actual number of vacancies in this sphere of Government is not known - it could be much higher.

SAMWU has been calling for the filing of vacant positions for a number of years now. Three years ago by way of bargaining we got Local Government to agree to fill all vacant positions, though agreed upon, this has never been implemented.

We strongly feel that the filling of vacant positions is a matter of grave concern; it should be a key area of focus for Minister Richard Baloyi, Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs.

The Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) - a household-based survey started in 2008 -  found that in the first quarter of 2012, 4.5 million persons were unemployed of whom 3.1 million or 67.8% have been looking for work for a year or longer. Meanwhile, 59.6% of the job seekers did not have matric, while 44% have never worked before.

The expanded unemployment rate which relaxes the requirement to be searching for work also increased, by 1.2% between the same two quarters, from 35.4% to a shocking 36.6%, 4.5 million people, well over a third of the potential workforce. The survey further noted that 75 000 jobs had been lost in the first quarter of the year.

In the face of these glaring statistics the Government must move with a matter of urgency to fill all vacant positions in the Local Government sector. This must be done not only to meet the Government's target of creating five million new jobs between 2010 and 2020, but also in order to better deliver services to communities that have been promised the basics.

The 5 million jobs promised by National Government shows no sign of appearing. Whilst Government continues to rely on private sector growth, which has shown an appetite for capital intensive operations, we doubt that this target can ever be achieved.

SAMWU has this year again tabled as a demand to Local Government the filling of vacant positions; we await the South African Local Government Association and the Ministry of Cooperative Governance favourable response.

Statement issued by Tahir Sema, SAMWU national spokesperson, May 10 2012

Click here to sign up to receive our free daily headline email newsletter