Update

PLETTENBERG BAY NEWSFLASH - The termination of contracts of 60 Bitou public safety workers has been placed on hold.

This after a storm erupted when the 40 Bitou law enforcement officers and 20 firefighters were informed last week that their contracts, some of which only expires in June 2018, had been terminated without prior notice.

Most of these employees, who are part of the Extended Public Works Programme (EPWP), had played an instrumental role in the June Plettenberg Bay and Knysna fire disaster and some, just days ago, were key roleplayers in arresting the alleged killer and rapist of a local hospice nurse.

The group, who gathered at the Piesang Valley Community Hall on Wednesday 7 February said they were shocked and had only received a message at 07:00 on Thursday morning to attend a meeting at the Bitou council chambers at 08:00. 

There they were informed by the municipality's human resources department that their contracts had been terminated due to financial issues.

Acting municipal manager Johnny Douglas said in a statement on Monday that the terminations had now been placed on hold, following urgent interventions at political and administrative levels. 

This is to give the municipal administration time to prepare a substantive report to the council meeting, to be held at the end of February, to consider the continued employment of the employees or their termination.

Read a previous article: Public safety workers claim they were sacked

Read the full story in Thursday's Knysna-Plett Herald, as well as online.

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