Disgruntled workers of Maltahohe Village Council are up in arms over late salary payments for the past eight months. 

The workers maintained late payments that subjected them and their families to economic hardship. 

They say salaries are due on the 25th each month but are only received 12 days later.

In addition, the protestors claimed they have not received any salary  and  fringe benefit adjustments for the past four years. 

Spokesperson of the protestors, Francis Vry, says "Whilst we are being paid late and our third parties' lapsing denied any form of adjustments on our remunerations, we are still expected to perform our duties and render service to the best of our abilities to the community. We see this as an unfair demand because the economic hardships we are experiencing take much of the energy required to perform our duties."  

The workers called on the minister of urban and rural development to launch an investigation into alleged misappropriation of council funds. 

Moreover, they demanded the council stop wasting the council's financial resources on unnecessary trips,  bank charges they incurred as a result of late salary payments to be paid over to the union. 

While condemning alleged favouritism and nepotism of workers, they also called for the introduction of a wellness programme and urgent meeting with the HR manager to address matters of concern. 

They gave the council seven days to address their grievances, threatening to continue with the protest actions. 

Neither the acting CEO nor the council member showed up to receive the petition.

The council's chairperson Jacqueline Swartbooi acknowledged the workers received their salaries late last month, citing financial constraints. 

Swartbooi further said the council had not been notified about the demonstration; thus, no member was delegated to receive the petition. 

She said no grievances had been lodged with the council prior to the protest.