The DA in Johannesburg called the R10.3 billion deal a 'shocking decision' as residents regularly go without water and electricity.
The union responsible for negotiating billions in remuneration for municipal workers has declared a “monumental victory for labour” as the Johannesburg municipality denies being strong-armed into a deal.
Johannesburg Mayor Dada Morero’s administration reached a deal with the South African Municipal Workers Union (Samwu) on 14 November, securing roughly R10 billion for workers over three years.
The union held a briefing on Tuesday to lambaste any negative perception of the agreement, while on Sunday, Morero was equally dismissive of reports that R4 billion had been diverted from municipal budgets to fund the deal.
R10.3 billion for ‘human suffering’
Samwu confirmed the agreement would be funded over three years, aligning with the information contained in a document leaked in October about the offer presented by the city.
The agreement is set to feature collective increases for municipal workers of between R1.2 billion and R2 billion by March 2026, between R5 billion and R6 billion by July 2026, and a further R4.1 billion by July 2027.
Samwu Johannesburg Regional Secretary Thobani Nkosi stressed the negotiations were legitimately guided by the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration.
He added that any suggestion that the agreement had negative implications for the city amounted to a “smear campaign” against organised labour.
Nkosi said the R10.3 billion was the accumulated debt resulting from a halt to salary progression implemented in 1995, as well as the gap between the pay packages of senior officials and employees on the ground.
“The R10.3 billion is not just a figure, but it is the crystallised sum of human suffering,” said Nkosi.
“This systemic economic violence, perpetuated by the city’s negligence, forced our members to live below the poverty line, even while they maintained the essential infrastructure of South Africa’s economic hub,” he added.
‘Political expediency at its worst’
The timing of the agreement came a week before the start of the G20 Summit, with Nkosi having earlier not ruled out the possibility of disruptions should the demands not have been met.
“It is a moral disgrace that the city would only move with this sense of urgency once the looming threat of international embarrassment at the G20 summit forced their hand,” he said on Tuesday.
“International perception is valued above the basic dignity and legal rights of its own workforce,” he lamented.
The DA had criticised the timing of the agreement, stating that the city had chosen the labourers over the residents of the city.
“This is a shocking decision taken while communities queue at water tankers and roads crumble under neglect. This is political expediency at its worst,” said DA Johannesburg caucus leader Belinda on Monday.
The DA has requested details of the deal with Samwu, as well as a financial risk assessment and an indication of which projects in the city could be affected.
“Johannesburg residents deserve water, roads, and functional infrastructure, not a mayor who prioritises appeasing unions over their needs,” said Kayser-Echeozonjoku
R10.3 billion ‘not yet budgeted’
Morero’s office responded on Sunday to claims that the budgets of critical city entities would be trimmed in order to accommodate the payments to Samwu members.
The mayor explained that such an ad hoc reallocation of budget was not possible on short notice and would need to be done during June’s budget window or during the adjustment period in February.
“No such diversion has taken place. The city has not yet budgeted for the agreement reached in principle with Samwu on Friday,” stated Morero.
The mayor also denied that the timing of the agreement was not linked to the imminent arrival of foreign dignitaries.
“While unions may tactically leverage significant global events such as the G20 to accelerate negotiations, the city’s motivation has remained consistent: to resolve legitimate, long-standing remuneration issues, improve labour stability, and enhance service delivery for the residents of Johannesburg,” he concluded.
‘A necessary investment’
Nkosi dismissed the DA’ aspersions, stating the party had previously attempted to stall and delay the negotiations with the union whenever it could.
“The DA’s manufactured outrage is nothing short of political theatre and gross hypocrisy, exposing them as an anti-worker and fundamentally anti-black party opposed to the economic upliftment of municipal staff,” he said.
Nkosi stressed that the agreement was just and fair, equating the condition of Johannesburg with the remuneration labourers received.
“How can the city expect optimum performance, diligence, and commitment to service delivery when it simultaneously subjects these same workers to decades of underpayment and financial stagnation?, asked Nkosi.
“We, therefore, issue an urgent call to all mischievous characters to stop treating this settlement as a political casualty of the G20 and instead embrace it as a necessary investment in its most valuable asset, being its people,” he concluded.
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