•They demand an immediate salary upgrade from Level 4 to Level 5.

•They want the suspensions and disciplinary procedures against 16 municipal employees dismissed with immediate effect.

•They also demand the resignation of Mayor Mhlonishwa Masilela and Acting Municipal Manager Ms Thokozile Zulu “now!”.

Mpumalanga Cooperative Governance MEC Mandla Ndlovu has been locked in negotiations with the administration and employees since last Friday.

The province had no choice but to become involved due to last Wednesday’s bloodshed at the civic centre, during which two protestors were killed. One is yet to be identified.

The unidentified deceased was, however, not an employee of the municipality, the authority confirmed.

It’s currently unclear why the unidentified man was part of the group of employees who confronted armed security guards.
According to MEC Ndlovu, there’s presently still a deadlock on negotiations.

On the suspension, MEC Ndlovu said that the province had no mandate to intervene in municipal labour disputes.
He said the channels available to both employer and employees should be exhausted to end the stalemate.

The MEC has called for an urgent council forum for the province to formally advise the council on a way forward.

Meanwhile, the MEC has deployed a mediator to the municipality to continue dialogue with parties, in the hope to reinstate services to the community.
The strike has now entered its fourth week.

With payday looming tomorrow, residents fear a resurgence of violence from striking employees, who, the municipality says, will not receive pay for days not worked.