News24 reports that the City of Johannesburg insists that the decision of its council in February to reverse the contract conversion of a group of 130 staffers is final and will not be rescinded.

In February, the Joburg council reversed a mayoral committee decision taken last year, while the ANC still governed the metro, allowing the conversion of fixed-term contracts to permanent ones. According to the new DA-led multi-party coalition government, the council never approved that decision, which it deemed illegal and which it reversed. The staffers were given notices to make representations, which were followed by notification that their contracts had been converted back to the original fixed-term form. As matters stand, the contracts will expire at the end of April. In a list of demands sent to the City, the staffers have demanded that February's council decision should not be implemented, failing which they will approach the Bargaining Council, the Labour Court or the High Court.  In a statement by their lawyer, Mojalefa Motalane, the group said the City had contravened a series of legal processes and had no legal basis for reversing the mayoral decision taken by the ANC in 2021. Mabine Seabe, spokesperson for the mayor Mpho Phalatse, said the City would oppose any legal action brought against it regarding the contract conversion matter. "The Johannesburg multi-party government has been clear in stating that the decision taken by the mayoral committee, council and the City administration was and is a matter of compliance with the law, not a labour issue. In the instance that we are met with legal action, we will be opposing it,” Seabe indicated.

• Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Zintle Mahlati at News24

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