The City of Johannesburg says it will soon employ 4‚000 contract security workers.
Until now, the city has outsourced its security services through more than 150 contracts with service providers.
Mayor Herman Mashaba said: "The city has paid‚ on average‚ R14,000 per security guard‚ while the guards themselves received as little as R4‚500 as a salary per month.
"Our approach in this matter was to find a means of offering these contract workers the dignity of fair pay‚ stable employment and benefits available to employees of the city."
Mashaba said the city was engaged in ensuring the smooth integration of these security personnel while guaranteeing the operation’s financial sustainability.
"Due to the complexities of local government regulations‚ cases of corruption‚ contractual commitments and legal considerations‚ the time taken to implement this process has been considerable‚" Mashaba said
The city has brought in outside expertise to assist with the finalisation of the insourcing project.
In another area of service delivery in the city, contract workers disrupted refuse removal on Wednesday.
Pikitup resumed its operations following the arrest of those who had disrupted service delivery in areas including Sandton‚ Houghton and Alexandra.
"The South African Police Service (SAPS) arrested 20 former Jozi@Work contract workers who have been illegally protesting and hindering Pikitup’s service delivery through vandalism and intimidation of workers‚" said Mashaba.
"I also wish to state up front that any individual found guilty of actively participating in these disruptions‚ will not be eligible to apply for similar positions of a rotational nature within the city."
Mashaba said the city had obtained an interdict against the protesters to protect infrastructure and staff.
Pikitup and its workers‚ contracted through the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP)‚ had not been able to collect waste in Alexandra since last Monday.
Mashaba said Pikitup would provide services in the affected areas with the assistance of the police.
"We will not be held ransom by lies and hooliganism of a few at the expense of thousands‚" he said.
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