Tshwane executive mayor, Cilliers Brink, has reiterated that the city cannot afford a budget increase for any of its employees, as workers continue with demonstrations.
Workers affiliated to workers’ union, Samwu, have been on an unprotected strike for over a month now – after the municipality announced that it doesn’t have the budget for salary increases this year.
They are demanding a 5.4% salary increase.
While over 100 of their colleagues have so far been dismissed, the workers are adamant that they won’t succumb to pressure.
Mayor Cilliers Brink says acts of intimidation remain a concern.
He has revealed that two trucks have been torched and some infrastructure damaged, while service delivery is still heavily affected.
The Mayor also revealed that an employee was shot during the demonstrations.
” There is a strong lead of identifying the people who are behind the damaging of infrastructure. The workers’ strike is no longer a labour dispute, but a criminal assault on the municipality.”
Brink also pointed out that when the strike ends, there will be a large bill caused by the instability.
He says he has instructed officials to look into a possible civil claim against Samwu for the union to foot that bill.
Salaries recalled
Tshwane City Manager, Johann Mettler, says the city has recalled the salaries of 319 employees for the month of August.
“Where there is no evidence of attendance, the ‘no work no pay’ principle is applied. Several recalls were implemented in line with the lists submitted by line managers reporting that attendance registers were signed by employees but no services were rendered,” he says.
Mettler says the city has also opened 34 criminal cases related to the workers’ protest.
He has also revealed that emergency services are among the services that have been crippled, with fire stations closed since July.
“As far as our emergency services are concerned , there were a number of fire stations that were closed. Fire emergency stations are essential services and should never be closed under any circumstances.”
Myself and the City Manager Mr Johann Mettler are hosting a media briefing to give an update on the violent strike action by Samwu. Its clear we are no longer facing a labour dispute, the City is now facing a criminal assault of a massive scale. @CityTshwanepic.twitter.com/KVoAF0PJ45
