Bargaining council rejects Tshwane’s exemption; city to pay 3.5% salary increases to municipal workers amid councillors’ higher raises.
While many people argue the City of Tshwane does not have the funds to pay salary increases after the South African Local Government Bargaining Council rejected the city’s exemption application for the 3.5% increase of 2021-2022, others point out it had a budget for councillors’ increases.
Deputy mayor Eugene Modise said after due consideration of the ruling and the factors presented, the city will not pursue an appeal, or review, of the bargaining council’s decision.
“We respect the outcome of the process and remain committed to upholding the principles of collective bargaining, good governance and labour stability,” he said.
Bargaining council rejects Tshwane’s exemption
Modise said the city will engage constructively with organised labour unions to explore practical, convenient and sustainable modalities for implementing the award.
Meanwhile, South African Municipal Workers general secretary Dumisane Magagula condemned the statement issued by DA’s Jacqui Uys and said it attacked the integrity of the ruling.
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“The DA’s statement, which falsely labels this binding award as flawed and ruinous, is a declaration of open war against the working class.
“This financial crisis was manufactured under the DA administration, which initially denied workers both the 3.5% (2021-22) and the subsequent 5.4% (2023-24) salary increases,” he said.
Magagula said the DA’s stance reveals its maliciously hostile antiblack and anti-worker agenda.
DA stance ‘hostile antiblack and anti-worker’
“The overwhelming majority of workers owed these long-overdue increases are black employees.”
Magagula said the hypocrisy was evident in that the city recently approved a 5% salary increase for councillors.
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“The DA remained silent on affordability because they and their political elite stood to benefit. Their crocodile tears for the city’s budget only flow when it is time to pay municipal staff,” he added.
Magagula said Samwu demands the immediate payment of workers’ 3.5% salary increases as per the bargaining council award and the unconditional reinstatement of 41 unfairly dismissed workers.
Political analyst Piet Croucamp said it was a decision worth being taken under review. “Whether the city can afford it is a legitimate question,” he added.
‘City cannot afford it’
Political analyst Rene Oosthuizen said the DA must acknowledge that austerity undermines morale and service delivery, while the workers must acknowledge the severe financial constraints facing the metro.
Economist Dawie Roodt said: “Workers are paid too much; the city cannot afford it.”
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