Metros can't keep staff

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This is according to raw data from Statistics SA, which released its nonfinancial municipal census last week. But the number of vacancies had been higher in 2014 - 44,869.

Metros are given considerable financial independence and capacity to service large populations in cities, making their high vacancy number more conspicuous.

The vacancies undermine the Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs' 'Back To Basics' master plan to rescue local government and improve service delivery.

Among its findings, Stats SA noted that the number of vacancies in the Mangaung metropolitan municipality soared from 1,995 in 2014 to 3,905 in 2015. According to Stats SA spokesman Patrick Naidoo, the city cited the implementation of a new "micro structure" and the creation of two new directorates as reasons for the increase.

Another major metro, the City of Cape Town, had 2,757 vacant posts last year, despite recently reporting that it significantly failed to reach its own employment equity targets.

Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs spokesman Legadima Leso said: "The directive from our department is that all positions must be filled so that work continues."

But SA Municipal Workers Union spokesman Papikie Mohale said: "Municipalities should be ashamed and embarrassed that in the midst of the country's unemployment, municipal vacancy rates are at such levels. The youth are the most affected, which is why they are mainly targets of exploitative programmes such as [the] extended public works programme."

Ekurhuleni metropolitan municipality managed to reduce its number of vacancies from 2,820 to 2,751.

City of Ekurhuleni spokesman Zweli Dlamini said the vacancies had no impact on finance and administration departments in the metro as "measures were put in place to address capacity issues through fixed-term contracts".

eThekwini also managed to reduce its vacancies - from 3,297 in 2014 to 1,313 in 2015.

Source: The Times