SAMWU hopeful resolution will be reached with City of Tshwane

The South African Municipal Workers’ Union, SAMWU, says it is hopeful that a resolution will be reached over the salary increases for municipal workers – with the City of Tshwane.

Workers affiliated to SAMWU have been striking for about two months now over the city’s decision to not give wage hikes this financial year.

More than 120 employees have been dismissed, so far, for embarking on the strike, and about 400 people have had their pay docked for skipping work.

However, Executive Mayor Cilliers Brink remains adamant that there are no funds for any salary increases.

“You can mediate many things and you can have conversations about many things but the one issue you can’t mediate is that we don’t have R600 million to grant in salary increases, the money just isn’t there.”

Brink believes that the strike is no longer a labour dispute, but a criminal matter.

Meanwhile, the Gauteng Legislature has called on the union and the capital city to submit to a mediation process, following several incidents of municipal trucks being torched, amongst other issues.

Speaking to YNews, Gauteng SAMWU Secretary, Mpho Tladinyane, said talks were continuing with the city and the union.

 

He says the City has made provision in the budget of R12 billion for employee-related costs, which the union believes can be used for salary increases.

 

The strike has affected service delivery in the city, including waste removal, amongst others.

[WATCH] Tonight I’ve joined our waste removal teams as they clean Pretoria CBD with TMPD and private security companies escorting the waste trucks. We will not be intimidated by criminals attacking our infrastructure. @CityTshwane pic.twitter.com/kek7JrIMo5

— Mayor Cilliers Brink (@tshwane_mayor) September 13, 2023