By Sihle Mavuso
Employees of Nongoma local municipality in northern KwaZulu-Natal are on tenterhooks after learning that the municipality has not been paying their pension contributions since April this year.
The municipality is run by an ANC, EFF, NFP coalition after ousting the IFP in June last year.
The news that the municipality has not been making the contributions to the KwaZulu-Natal Joint Municipal Pension Fund was communicated to the employees via SMS.
The fund asked the employees to get in touch with the municipality over the matter.
“Dear NJMPF Member. Your employer has not paid your contributions for the months April and May 2024. Please contact your employer for further information,” reads the SMS sent to employees.
The SMSes caused panic in the municipality as staff members fear this signals a bigger financial challenge. The panic even gained traction when salaries for 25 June were slightly delayed by hours, resulting in staff asking questions.
“We suspect that the municipality does not have money, but it is keeping that information from the staff so that they don’t get embarrassed when it is leaked,” said one staff member.
Scrolla.Africa obtained a memo that was circulated to senior staff at a meeting on Tuesday.
Sources allege that the acting municipal manager, Sipho Nkosi, briefly spoke about the financial challenges the municipality is facing.
Nkosi did not respond to questions about the matter, despite being sent written questions, and later called to provide the municipality’s version.
Pictured above: it is suspected that Nongoma local municipality is facing financial difficulties.
Source: Sihle Mavuso
