SAMWU threatens to shut Joburg down if acting CoJ COO Botes is not removed

JOHANNESBURG - The South African Municipal Workers' Union (SAMWU) is threatening to shut down Johannesburg, calling for the removal of acting chief operating officer (COO) Helen Botes. 

Municipal workers are gathered outside the city council on Thursday morning ahead of the first council sitting.

They are calling for her appointment as acting COO to be nullified, claiming no due process was followed to have her hired for the top post.

The union has also highlighted a string of allegations arising from her time as CEO of Johannesburg Property Company (JPC).

Regional SAMWU chairperson Ester Mtatyana said the city will collapse if she remains as the acting COO.

“This lady is having a lot of scandals from JPC. Not one of them was attended to and now we are here to put again our grievances that the councillors of the City of Johannesburg, even if they can accept that note of her acting as SAMWU, we disagree.”