The ANC-run Amahlathi Local Municipality in Stutterheim, Eastern Cape, has abruptly withdrawn an undertaking it made to backpay employees whose salaries were incorrecntly adjusted.
The back pay was supposed to kick in when the employees get their salaries for June this year, but it was withdrawn in a letter dated 15 June 2025.
Initially, the municipality wrote to the employees about the matter and said it would correct it.
“Accordingly, your remuneration levels will, with effect from the date of its erroneous deduction on 15 November 2024, be corrected. You will accordingly be repaid the amounts deducted together with the next payroll run on 15 May 2025,” reads the letter that was first sent to employees in April this year.
Later, another letter was sent, informing them that the undertaking had been withdrawn.
“The municipality sought to rescind its decision to standardize employees through the Makanda High Court Case No.: 735/2022, to which judgement was issued on 10 May 2024 in favour of the employer. A consultative process with individual employees was made by the municipal lawyers through a court bundle which you signed receipt thereof and whose contents you were to engage with and dispute before the matter was filed with the High Court.
“A further analysis of the municipal records from your employment and benefits file and submitted appeal to the municipality post standardisation reversal implementation, indicate that you were indeed standardized, as such the Makanda High Court judgement (Case No.: 735/2022) was correctly applied. The Municipality regrets to inform you that your appeal not to have your salary fully or partially reversed is not granted,” reads the letter.
The spokesperson for the municipality, Nkosinathi Mbanda, asked to be shown the letters first before he could respond, when he was told that would not be done as it would expose African Times sources, he did not respond.
