ANC leadership amid illegal strike

Phumzile Mkhwanazi, ANC Vryheid Sub-Regional Secretary, writes:-

THE CURRENT illegal strike at AbaQulusi Municipality has turned desperate, holding the community to ransom. For the past week or two, the community has been denied access to the main municipal building for much needed services, Vryheid town has been trashed, water and electricity services sabotaged and there has been abuse and misuse of municipal property, including municipal vehicles by the same striking workers. It must be brought to the attention of the community that this is an unprotected, illegal strike, perpetuated by workers in pursuance of a certain political agenda and personal interests. The ANC, in its Vryheid Sub-Region, takes note that this is an attempt to create anarchy and to destabilise the AbaQulusi municipal area, to advance narrow political interests as we approach the national and provincial general election. The ANC has always been, and still remains, at the forefront in advancing working class interests, including the right to strike and or protest. However, this right must be in sync with the applicable prescripts. During the course of this illegal strike, the ANC as a “Leader of Society”, has been able to provide leadership in this regard. ANC leadership, the Honourable Mayor, ANC volunteers and members of the community took no time to be on the ground, around the clock, to ensure that: a) Our main town Vryheid is kept neat and clean; b) Water provision to communities is maintained; c) Acts of sabotage are timeously reported to the law enforcement agencies. The ANC strongly condemns all acts of intimidation, sabotage of the water and electricity services, the abuse of municipal property and misuse of municipal vehicles. We therefore call upon: 1. The municipal political leadership and the Municipal Manager to bring normality and stability to the AbaQulusi Municipality; 2. The Municipal Manager to take decisive action against employees on illegal strike; 3. The striking workers to return to work with immediate effect; and that 4. The full might of the law to take its course and perpetrators of the vandalism be brought to book. The ANC, Vryheid Sub-Region, wishes to thank all its volunteers and members of the community who came out in their numbers to ensure that disruption of municipal service delivery is kept to a minimum during this unprotected strike. [Letter edited. Editor.]