Municipal services remain disrupted in Tshwane amid Samwu strike
Tshwane Mayor Cilliers Brink has warned of continuing service delivery disruptions in the city.
Workers affiliated with the South African Municipal Workers Union (Samwu) have downed tools in what the city has deemed to be an illegal strike.
The municipal workers downed tools last week to protest over various issues, including the non-payment of salary increases.
Workers are demanding 3.5% and 5.4% salary increases, an amount that Brink says the city cannot afford.
Brink has already indicated that the city’s dire financial state means it cannot afford to pay any salary increases to municipal workers.
Brink believes Samwu workers are using intimidation to force the city into negotiations.
"The City of Tshwane is under assault by unprotected strike action, the use of violence and intimidation. We are seeing the disruption of services, the delay in attending to water and electricity outages, and waste collection is affected.
"And even our most vulnerable residents are being targeted.
"Samwu workers think that by using violence and intimidation the city can be brought to the negotiating tables to agree to salary increases which we explained we can't afford them," said Brink.
Meanwhile, City Manager Johann Mettler warned there would be consequences for workers who insist on a strike despite a court interdict.
"Last week I issued three ultimatums to the employees who are engaging in an illegal and unprotected strike to cease the strike action and return to work immediately.
"Subsequent to that, I approached the labour court on an urgent basis to interdict the strike, the court ruled in my favour by declaring the strike illegal and unprotected.
"All my efforts to end the strike were disregarded and the continuous strike action is in contempt of the interdict," said Mettler.
He added: "I have therefore taken a decision to identify all those that have participated in this illegal strike and who stand to be at risk of being dismissed.
"I have also taken a decision to release all non-essential staff from work due to intimidation and victimisation by striking workers."
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