Four Tshwane employees are expected to appear in the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court today, to face charges related to public violence.

Metro spokesperson Selby Bokaba says these employees, stationed at the city’s Region 4 offices in Centurion, were arrested on Tuesday during a strike by Samwu members and have been in detention at the Lyttelton Police Station.

He explains the employees have also been served with a notice of intention to suspend and are facing three internal charges pertaining to gross misconduct, malicious damage to property and breach of the employment contract.

“These charges were served on the employees while in police custody.”

When municipal workers are gatvol! #SamwuMarch pic.twitter.com/0y3aVukLTg

— SAMWU | SA Municipal Workers’ Union (@SAMWUnion) July 26, 2023

Bokaba says the internal charges are serious in nature in that the employees’ conduct represents:

• A serious breach of their obligations, duties and/or functions in terms of their conditions of employment with the city.
• Their conduct has resulted in an irretrievable breakdown of the employment relationship between them and the city and,
• Their conduct represents a breach of the applicable rules and code of conduct and brought the administration into disrepute.

He says in the circumstances, should the employees be found guilty of the above-mentioned charges, the city may ask that they be dismissed from employment with immediate effect.

SAMWU members march to Tshwane House. #SamwuMarch https://t.co/izevIUHVaz

— SAMWU | SA Municipal Workers’ Union (@SAMWUnion) July 26, 2023

The administration has resolved to engender ethical conduct in the workplace by acting decisively against employees accused of serious wrongdoing.

Bokaba says errant employees previously engaged in various acts of misconduct, including the commission of serious crime without any consequences.

He adds the action taken against these four employees should serve as a deterrent to others that the days of brazen lawlessness, and impunity are over.

Charges will be preferred against the employees that partook in the strike action yesterday by intimidating, harassing, and threatening their non-striking colleagues.

The metro commits to service despite the ongoing protest.