Download PDFA group of Community Work Programme (CWP) workers in Mangaung, Free State, are outraged after being unfairly dismissed, reinstated without pay for the work period they unfairly missed, and then subjected to increased working hours without compensation.
The CWP workers, who provide essential services to their communities, were unceremoniously dismissed from their jobs in February and March 2025. Despite being reinstated, they were not paid their wages or salaries for the two months.
The workers were informed that they had been “taken out of the system” and would only be paid once they were reinstated into the system. However, instead of receiving their overdue payments, the workers say that they were shocked to discover that their working hours had been increased.
“We were told to work from 8 am to 6 pm, covering 20 days of the second month, without any additional pay,” said one of the affected CWP workers. “This is unacceptable and unfair. We are already struggling to make ends meet, and now we are being forced to work longer hours without compensation.”
The workers are demanding that they be paid their outstanding wages and salaries, as well as compensation for the increased working hours. They are also calling for better working conditions and job security.
The treatment of these CWP workers is a clear indication of the lack of regard for the well-being and rights of workers. It is essential that the relevant authorities take immediate action to address the grievances of these workers and ensure that they are treated with the dignity and respect they deserve.
The group urged the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA), the Free State Provincial Government, and other relevant stakeholders to take immediate action to address the grievances of the Mangaung Free State CWP workers. They say that it is essential that these workers are treated with fairness, dignity, and respect.
The list of demands includes,
1. Payment of outstanding wages and salaries for February and March 2025.
2. Compensation for increased working hours.
3. Better working conditions and job security.
4. Recognition of the vital role played by CWP workers in providing essential services to their communities.
This article was submitted on 20 March 2025. You may republish this article, so long as you credit the authors and Karibu! Online (www.Karibu.org.za), and do not change the text. Please include a link back to the original article.
