White Employees Ask for Municipal Job Apartheid

Gallows Hill Archives: 1957

Cape Argus 01 November 1957

The Cape Town Municipal Employees Association, which represents European employees, has told the Industrial Tribunal that it wants the municipal fire-brigade and the ambulance services to remain “White”.

It also says that relations between European and Coloured traffic constables could hardly be described as harmonious.

In a memorandum submitted to the tribunal the association say: “The fire-brigade and ambulance services are composed entirely of European and have always been regarded as the exclusive employment preserve of European.

In spite of protests, the council had employed Coloured traffic constables and since then they had been gradually integrated into posts which up to the stage had been held only by Europeans.

In 1946 there were 62 European and seven Coloured constables. In 1955, 104 European and 14 Coloured constables and in 1957, 97 European and 17 Coloured constables.

The Memorandum continues: “The employment of non-European traffic constables, it is submitted, led to the lowering of the status of the post. The post is no longer regarded as being attractive due to the force being “mixed”. Europeans are reluctant to offer themselves for engagement.

Public Ignomy

It says that in 1946, 40 European members of the traffic force protested against the “public ignomy” of serving side by side on equal terms with non-Europeans.

In 1952 European members asked the association to ask the City Council to place non-European members on a separate footing and in 1955 the European members submitted a petition to the Chief Traffic Officer protesting against discrimination, as only Europeans could be employed on certain duties such as escorting V.I.P.s.

On September 17, 65 European traffic constables protested to the association at being compelled to take part in an official public parade with non-Europeans.

The association says: “An adequate supply of suitable, qualified Europeans exists to meet the requirements of the fire brigade and ambulance services. The employment field in these services has generally and traditionally been confined to Europeans and therefore, in our view, could remain so.