The University of Johannesburg (UJ) has completed its insourcing project, ending a process that began in 2015. In a statement, UJ deputy vice chancellor for employees and student affairs, Tumi Mketi, said the last cohort of 640 cleaning staff became UJ employees last week.
UJ said the insourcing process included the improvement of working conditions for workers and extended benefits to their children. Children of UJ staff may study for free at the university.
"The university unequivocally supported the quest to provide decent working conditions, fair wages and improved benefits for these outsourced workers. This is evident with the insourcing of Gardening and Grounds, Security Services and Cleaning Services which were traditionally delivered as outsourced services," Mketi said in a statement.
She said an insourcing task team was established in November 2015.
"The university set a target to finalise the insourcing of all concerned workers by the end of June 2017and we are proud that this deadline was achieved and concluded two months ahead of time," she said.
A total of 38 gardening and grounds workers were the first to be insourced in June 2016, followed by 378 security services workers in October 2016.
"The insourcing process is now concluded by the inclusion of the cleaning services staff. We are pleased to bring these workers into the UJ staff complement, which saw some doubling their monthly income. This step has gone a long way to improving the standard of living of the workers and their families."