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Residents affected by municipal employees strike
“Some of our staff members have reported being unable to carry out their duties.”
In addition to traffic disruption in the Pretoria CBD, residents can also expect several municipal services to be affected by a protest march by Tshwane metro workers today.
This as Samwu labour union-affiliated workers will take to the streets to demand a salary increase later today.
“Some of the services likely to be affected include water and sanitation, roads, electricity and cemetery services,” said Tshwane metro spokesperson Lindela Mashigo.
Mashigo said the turnaround time to respond speedily will be impacted in the water and sanitation services, while road services would be hit in fixing potholes and other road-related services.
He said the protest march would see a minimal impact on electricity and cemetery services.
Mashigo also said “ongoing protest action” by Samwu is plaguing certain areas of the city.”
“Some of our staff members have reported being unable to carry out their duties due to the protest.
“We are exploring various options of stabilising the situation and of safeguarding our staff to enable them to render services unhindered.”
He said law enforcement agencies had assured the metro of their commitment to protect personnel and municipal assets in the face of possible intimidation and threats.
“They have also undertaken to deal decisively and firmly with vandalism, thuggery, hooliganism and criminality that have characterised certain parts of the city over the past few days.”
Mashigo apologised for the inconvenience caused.
“The Tshwane metro undertakes to restore normal services as speedily and as practically possible.”
Tshwane metro police spokesperson Isaac Mahamba said the TMPD officers would be deployed to monitor the march and all the affected streets.
The following intersections will be affected by today’s march:
– Cowie Street
– Kgosi Mampuru Street
– Bosman Street
– Paul Kruger Street
– Thabo Sehume Street
– Lillian Ngoyi Street
Motorists were advised to avoid the affected streets and use alternative routes such as:
– Nana Sita Street
– Visagie Street
– Francis Baard Street
– Pretorius Street
– WF Nkomo Street
“We are demanding an increase of R4 000 across the board, R15 000 minimum wage, R3 500 for housing allowance and an 80/20 medical contribution,” said Samwu Tshwane regional secretary Mpho Tladinyane.
Tladinyane said metro workers also faced challenges such as racism.
“There is a group of a white cabal, which is forever frustrating our work in the city.”
He said when Samwu won awards or a grievance outcome, they were frustrated by the so-called “cabal”.
He said other issues were with municipal buildings which were dilapidated and not conforming to occupational health and safety standards.
“We demand that further the chief and deputy chief of Tshwane metro police are let go as they both do not meet academic requirements.”
Tladinyane said their shop steward was being threatened by rogue elements of the SAPS and the metro.
“He is being accused of human trafficking, while seven TMPD shop stewards are being threatened with suspension.”
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