EMPD officers condemned for taking part in illegal strike action

The City of Ekurhuleni has condemned the ongoing EMPD officers’ strike action, which brought the economic hub’s major routes to a standstill this morning (March 19).

Metro spokesperson Zweli Dlamini said: “The city notes with concern the ongoing illegal strike action involving members of the EMPD, which has resulted in significant disruptions on key arterial routes.
He pointed out that the protest action is severely affecting traffic on the R24 westbound between the OR Tambo interchange and Electron interchange, resulting in heavy delays. Additionally, protests are impacting all lanes of the N3 northbound between Heidelberg and Elands, causing extensive traffic congestion.

“We strongly condemn this unlawful protest action, as it compromises public safety and disrupts the daily commute of thousands of residents and visitors. The city is actively engaging with relevant stakeholders and law enforcement agencies to resolve the situation swiftly,” said Dlamini.

Motorists are urged to exercise patience, seek alternative routes where possible, and remain vigilant.
“We sincerely apologise for the inconvenience caused and assure residents that the city is committed to restoring normal traffic flow and stability as soon as possible. Further updates will be communicated as the situation develops.”

DA demands swift action to avert disaster
The DA in Ekurhuleni has weighed in on the EMPD strike action, warning that failure to act swiftly to resolve this issue may result in the city being left without working EMPD officers on the ground over the coming long weekend.

The opposition demands that Ekurhuleni mayor Doctor Xhakaza and city manager Dr Imogen Mashazi take swift action to address the salary and overtime payment issues.

The DA’s Jaco Terblanche said while the party acknowledges that EMPD is an essential service, and is therefore calling on striking members to honour the badge and return to serve and protect the residents of the city, the blame should be placed squarely at the feet of the ANC-EFF led coalition government.
He said the root cause of this strike is the coalition government’s mismanagement of the city’s finances, which resulted in the metro implementing austerity measures including the slashing of overtime pay.
“For some EMPD members, this equates to a loss of up to R8 000 per month. While the DA is cognisant of the fact that overtime pay should not be seen as a source of revenue — abruptly cutting it will result in the type of protest action currently underway.

“We have repeatedly insisted that the city needs to better manage its human capital in the EMPD and must do the following:

• Fill all funded vacancies to ensure that the labour force is not stretched thin. More boots on the ground will equate to an equal distribution of resources.
• The implementation of a three-shift rotational system.
“Both measures will equate to a better resourced and financially viable EMPD. Residents in the city deserve better than to live in a city where not even policing is untainted by the failures of this coalition of chaos.”

Also Read: WATCH: Protesting EMPD officers bring traffic to a standstill on key Ekurhuleni routes