Appendix D : Community Liaison Officer (CLO) 12
D1. Duties and Responsibilities of the CLO
The Community Liaison Officer shall:
| (1) | Represent the community and assist the employer, the employer’s agent and the contractor with communication between them and the community. |
| (2) | Inform community regarding the project detail, safety precautions and programme. |
| (3) | Be available at the site offices generally between the hours of 07:00 and 09:00 and again from 15:00 until end of working day. Normal working hours will be from 07:00 am till 17:00. |
| (4) | Assist with relocation of people, where applicable. |
| (5) | Maintain an up-to-date record of potential employees within the community and provide the contractor with copies of this information. |
| (6) | To identify, screen and nominate labour from the community in accordance with the contractor’s requirements and determine, in consultation with the contractor, the needs of local labour for employment and relevant technical training, where applicable. |
| (7) | Liaise between principal contractor and labour regarding wages and conditions of employment. |
| (8) | Communicate daily with the principal contractor on labour related issues such as numbers and skills. |
| (9) | Identify possible labour disputes, unrest, strikes, etc., in advance and assist in their resolution. |
| (10) | Have a good working knowledge of the contents of the contract document regarding labour and training matters. |
| (11) | Attend all meetings at which the community and/or labour is represented or discussed. |
| (12) | Attend contract site meetings and report on community and labour issues at these meetings. |
| (13) | Co-ordinate and assist with the obtaining of information regarding the community’s needs (questionnaires, etc.). |
| (14) | Inform local labour of their conditions of temporary employment, to ensure their timeous availability and to inform them timeously of when they will be relieved. |
| (15) | Ensure that all labour involved in activities when tasks have been set, are fully informed of the principle of task based work. |
| (16) | Attend disciplinary proceedings to ensure that hearings are fair and reasonable. |
| (17) | Keep a daily written record of interviews and community liaison. |
| (18) | Arrange venues for training if required. |
| (19) | Assist with the training and education of the community regarding the correct usage of the services, where applicable. |
| (20) | Any other duties that may become necessary as the works progress. |
Guidelines for the minimum requirements for the appointment of a Community Liaison Officer are given below13:
| (1) | Should have a Grade 12 with the ability to comprehensively read and write in English and relevant language spoken by the community. |
| (2) | Should be able to demonstrate or provide evidence of knowledge of community and in forming good relations within the community. |
| (3) | Should be able to recruit local labour for contract employment. |
| (4) | Should be able to identify local enterprises as suppliers or subcontractors. |
| (5) | Should be reliable and accountable. |
| (6) | Should have an understanding of construction and be able to communicate with principal contractors and sub-contractors. |
| (7) | Should reside in the community. |
| 12 | After Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality. |
| 13 | Adapted from Policy on Community Participation and Recruitment And Selection of Local Labour in Construction Contracts For The Department Of Transport And Public Works; Department of Transport and Public Works, Western Cape Government. |
