Beachgoers in Ballito and Salt Rock were left without lifeguard protection on Monday after more than 700 KwaDukuza municipal workers downed tools in an ongoing labour dispute.
The strike, led by the South African Municipal Workers’ Union (Samwu), has disrupted several essential services, including waste collection, despite assurances that core operations would continue. The absence of lifeguards at flagship beaches has raised serious safety concerns.
“There were no lifeguards on duty, and no red flags displayed to warn bathers,” said DA caucus leader Privi Makhan.
KwaDukuza municipality spokesperson Sifiso Zulu confirmed the impact, saying: “We would like to advise residents and businesspeople to keep their waste within their premises as waste collection service has been affected by this industrial action. The municipality is working on finding a solution.”
The work stoppage is part of a broader protest demanding the long-delayed implementation of a 2022 council resolution to align all municipal salaries to Grade 5. The workers have given the municipality until July 1 to comply.
Salary grading is a national system used to determine employee pay scales based on a municipality’s size and revenue. While 87% of positions have already been evaluated, Samwu says the remaining 13% must be urgently benchmarked and implemented.
“For years, our municipal manager promised this would be resolved, but nothing has been done,” said regional secretary Zandile Gumede.
“Our presence here is because of the employer’s ongoing disregard for workers.”
Samwu also demands the reduction of the working week from six to five days and accountability for R35.7-million stolen from municipal funds in January. The union has further called for the suspension of municipal manager Nhlanhla Mdakane, citing failure to implement cybersecurity protection.
ActionSA caucus leader, Cllr Nel Sewraj, criticised the timing of the strike, arguing many of the demands fall under national jurisdiction and are already scheduled for negotiation later this month.
He also raised concerns about unequal union participation as the Independent Municipal and Allied Trade Union members had not joined and the resulting risk of intimidation.
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