Uitenhage workers and students complain about college and union

About 80 employees and students of Eastcape Midlands College in Uitenhage gathered in the town hall to air their grievances to the National Education, Health and Allied Workers Union (NEHAWU) on Wednesday.

NEHAWU president Mzwandile Makwayiba listened to the grievances and promised to take the college head-on.

The workers demanded the reinstatement of colleagues who were suspended this year after leading a strike. They want vacant posts to be filled and demanded an end to giving jobs to friends and family members of senior officials.

Workers also want labourers who have worked for many years to be absorbed permanently. NEHAWU demanded an end to outsourcing of security personnel.

A woman said she was expelled in 2015 after the college falsely accused her of using fake certificates. She said her certificates were genuine and accused the college of not firing real fraudsters.

But the institution’s communications supervisor, Kate Oladimeji, refuted these allegations.

“The college can ascertain that there’s no corruption and mismanagement of any kind,” said Oladimeji. She said the college was recently given a clean audit by the Auditor General. Oladimeji also challenged workers to come out in the open including those who claim to have worked for many years without being made permanent.

She also said the college is not aware of people with fake qualifications holding posts.

At the event SRC president Sabelo Madlala criticised NEHAWU accusing its members, who are mostly lecturers, of victimising students.

NEHAWU president Mzwandile Makwayiba said the union has a partnership with students and that his members would be investigated if they abused students.

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