Residents in Tshwane have accused officials in the metro of being stubborn, as striking municipal workers continued to cripple services in the capital.
For seven weeks now, City of Tshwane employees affiliated with the South African Municipal Workers’ Union (Samwu) downed tools over a salary hike dispute, sparking violent protests and service delivery shortfalls.
The Local Government Bargaining Council (LGBC) ordered the city to immediately honour the collective agreement to grant workers a 5.4% wage increase, which was agreed upon in 2021.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Tshwane said a salary increase would result in a municipal rates hike.
“This is a continuation of the illegal strike action that we’ve seen in Tshwane over the past six to seven weeks,” said DA caucus spokesperson Kwena Moloto.
“The reality is that this is untenable and as the City of Tshwane, as the DA caucus, we’re requesting that the police urgently [get involved inside] this issue.”
Residents, however, said they were already suffering owing to the cash-strapped city’s financial woes.
“Without paying them, the strike continues. We are suffering – some sides don’t have electricity because no one is servicing anything. These workers need to be paid. By paying the workers, they are helping the citizens – that is how it should be. However, now they are being stubborn, and their stubbornness is causing a lot [of issues],” said one resident.
“Even with the strike, with the bus service people have bought tickets to go to work but now they are being inconvenienced,” another said.
-EWN
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