City suspends services as strike rages on
The metro said the Centurion regional office, customer care centres and various clinics also remained closed as the municipal workers strike continues.
The Tshwane metro has alerted motorists that its drive-thru licensing centre in Nana Sita Street in Pretoria CBD has been closed.
The metro said that the closure was due to intimidation by participants of the ongoing protest which has affected various services in the city.
The Centurion regional offices were closed on Tuesday following “violent” protests that saw protesters forming a fire barrier at the facility.
On Wednesday, the Lyttelton clinic was closed, while Rosslyn, Karen Park, Hercules, and Folang clinics were closed on Thursday.
The city said that patients and staff at the Folang clinic were forced out by striking workers.
Additionally, Mabopane Block X, Ga-Rankuwa, Rosslyn, Middestad and Sammy Marks customer care centres were also closed on Thursday.
On Wednesday, Tshwane mayor Celliers Brink met with representatives of the South African municipal workers union (Samwu).
However, the protests later became violent with beer bottles being thrown at officials and police.
I was keen on engaging workers today and accepting their memorandum however things turned violent with beer bottles flying all over the place.
(WARNING: EXPLICIT LANGUAGE) pic.twitter.com/vyzh9ccMwD
— Mayor Cilliers Brink (@tshwane_mayor) July 26, 2023
City manager Johann Mettler said in a statement to employees on Wednesday that four employees were arrested in the Centurion region and 14 outside Tshwane House.
Employees were told that the metro was clamping down on employees who “have made it their mission to destabilise the operations of the city and the services that we render to communities”.
On Wednesday, the city told residents to expect delayed turnaround time due to the strike action.
Brink said that the council had resolved to apply for an exemption from the South African Local Government Bargaining Council (SALGBC) to not pay a salary increase this financial year.
“In our present financial situation, we simply can’t afford to [increase salaries].”
He said that it would cost in the region of R600-million more if the metro were to grant the salary increases.
“We are here to execute a rescue mission. We want to save the city from financial ruin so that we have the ability over time to improve services and ensure the financial sustainability of the city.
“We implore employees of the city to wait and to follow proper processes when registering grievances, but it is also important that residents understand the bigger context of things going on.”
Brink said that he respects the right to strike, as long as it is exercised lawfully.
Four striking metro employees in court for public violence
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