Tshwane shuts down workers’ protest at last minute

A group of municipal workers pledged they would return to the picket line after the City of Tshwane scuppered their plans yesterday.

Themba Nkabinde, leader of the Concerned Tshwane Workers Forum, said they were not giving up.

The workers were heading to picket outside the Tshwane House when they were stopped by the head of human resources, who informed them that employees of the city have to follow certain procedures to picket.

Tshwane workers stopped from picketing

The group did get permission under the Gatherings Act, but were informed the picket had not been approved by the city.

Apparently, the workers had to get additional permission to picket or march because they were city workers.

Nkabinde said they also received the bad news that the promised 5.4% increase owed to workers was not going to be realised.

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He noted that while the city claimed they had no money, the auditor-general found R4.5 billion wasteful expenditure and R5 billion unauthorised expenditure and “that’s R9 billion wasted while the city claims it has no money for workers”.

Nkabinde said there was also the matter of 182 employees who were dismissed after the municipal strike in 2021.

Sekete Mokobane, deputy convenor for the Concerned Tshwane Workers Forum, said the city should reinstate the dismissed workers.

Reinstate dismissed workers – Concerned Tshwane Workers Forum

He said the workers had to go back to the drawing board and reapply to picket.

South African Municipal Workers’ Union (Samwu) regional secretary Donald Monakisi said the union had not changed its position that the 3.5% salary increase, owed to workers since 2021, must be honoured.

“The delay in payment has imposed significant financial strain on municipal workers,” he said.

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“Samwu’s legal team is preparing for the exemption hearing.”