Dispute: City of Tshwane challenges wage hike order

The battle between the City of Tshwane and municipal workers for salary increases is far from over after the South African Local Government Bargaining Council (SALGBC) ruled it must pay the increases.

However, mayor Cilliers Brink said they noted the ruling against its application not to pay wage increases, saying the city would challenged the order, as the strike enters its sixth week, with service delivery still at a go-slow.

“We’ve decided to take it on review to the Labour Court because as much as the bargaining council admits Tshwane is in financial distress and that we are in a difficult position to pay increases, it declined our decision,” he said.

The Independent Municipal and Allied Trade Union (Imatu) welcomed the order issued by the arbitrator appointed by the SALGBC to comply with the wage agreement concluded between the union and SA Local Goverment Association (Salga) in 2021.

Imatu’s Tshwane chair Melita Baloyi said this meant the city must pay the 5.4% salary increase with effect from July. “I’m delighted with today’s outcome…” he said.

“I am appealing to the employer to implement the collective agreement in line with the exemption outcome and do the right thing by paying salary increases.”

The SA Municipal Workers’ Union (Samwu) also welcomed the ruling.

“We implore the city and its management to do the right thing and comply with the collective agreement and the SALGBC ruling,” said deputy secretary-general Dumisani Magagula.

He said the workers were meant to get a 5.4% salary increase effective from 1 July but, instead of implementing the agreement, the city played delaying tactics, and finally in August applied to be exempted from the collective agreement.

Magagula said in the last three years, Tshwane municipal workers had been denied salary increases, which were agreed to in the SALGBC twice.

“We will be closely monitoring the developments in Tshwane,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Freedom Front Plus Tshwane caucus leader, Grandi Theunissen, yesterday laid a criminal charge against Economic Freedom Front (EFF) and ANC for the attack of councillors in the last council meeting.

He said there were two charges, one laid with the police and the other in the council.

“According to the code of conduct, no councillor is allowed to be involved with any labour dispute,” he said, claiming there was concrete evidence the EFF and the ANC were involved in the illegal strike.

“We are waiting for the investigation and have evidence that strengthens our case,” he said.

ActionSA Gauteng chair Funzi Ngobeni has called for calm following the ruling, which he said was a “positive step” towards ending the strike.

“We call on workers to go back to work and serve the residents. “ActionSA commits (to) embark on discussions that should produce a balanced approach that will preserve the long-term well-being of residents, workers and city’s administration,” he added.