THE dead had to bear witness to teargas and rubber bullets after Buffalo City Metro casual workers closed all cemeteries in a protest action at the weekend.
The casual workers, who work in parks and cemeteries falling under municipal services, locked the gates and demanded that mayor Xola Pakathi deliver on promises.
They said the municipality’s management had promised to incorporate them as permanent staff in April, but nothing came of it.
“We have been working as casual workers for seven years at only R100 a day – and we do not work all the days in a week,” one of the protesters said on Saturday.
“Some of us are old and have no hope of being employed elsewhere. We are close to retirement and demand that this matter be attended to speedily,” said another protester.
Cops were called in to disperse the angry workers and they fired teargas and rubber bullets. The cemeteries’ gates were then reopened.
Some of the protesters were arrested and were expected to appear in court yesterday.
Buffalo City spokesman Samkelo Ngwenya said: “We condemn any act of service disruption and will engage the police whenever such acts occur.
“Management is busy with the process of absorbing casuals as permanent staff.
“People have a right to protest, but should do so without resorting to unlawful acts.”
