By: Natasha Archary
It was a short-lived victory for the 130 COJ employees after the Bargaining Council dismissed the application they put forward against the City of Johannesburg for unfair dismissal.
This after the Labour Court ruled in favour of the employees who were informed by COJ Executive Mayor, Mpho Phalatse that their contracts would be terminated.
Phalatse said the conversion of their employment contracts from fixed-term to permanent were irregular.
In March, Phalatse announced that the DA-led administration will rescind the decision by the City’s previous administration.
Employees were instructed to reapply for their positions which would be advertised. The COJ then advertised the posts in March and came under fire for allegedly pushing a racist agenda in its employment equity move.
The 130 COJ employees were granted an interdict which stopped the municipality from advertising their positions.
However, on Monday, 25 April, the Bargaining Council ruled against the employees claims of unfair dismissal.
Mojalefa Motalane, the lawyer representing the 130 COJ employees says they will be heading back to the Bargaining Council to challenge the ruling.
The employees will also be approaching the Labour Court yet again to seek a permanent solution on the matter.



