Residents still stuck in dark as metro staff strike enters new week
Areas of Centurion were left without power over the weekend while the ongoing metro employee strike hampered progress.
Residents in parts of Wierdapark, Eldoraigne and Raslouw were stuck without power this weekend.
By Monday morning, July 31, three areas were yet to have their power supply restored.
Councillors said that the ongoing industrial action by metro staff was causing delays in addressing residents’ complaints.
Ward 70 councillor Marika Kruger-Muller said that the following areas still had outstanding electrical complaints in her ward:
– Wierdapark / Eldoraigne since Saturday 23:30
– Raslouw Poole Avenue and R55 since Sunday 10:30
– Raslouw Baard Street and Celtic Manor since Monday 07:30
“I have been requesting assistance on the electrical outages from the director and region head, but have not received any response,” Kruger-Muller told residents.
She said that due to the sensitivity of the strike, not all information could be shared.
“I will continue to communicate with the relevant officials and work with them to find a way forward.”
The councillor said that employees were still partaking in the strike and had not adhered to letters sent by the city manager.
“The DA and coalition partners have voted on a rescue mission to stabilise Tshwane finances – supporting a budget with zero increases,” explained Kruger-Muller.
“The turnaround time on service matters is hampered due to the lack of staff, intimidation of workers and administrative matters that have to go through the chain of command to get approved.”
The metro announced on Saturday that the Labour Court in Braamfontein had granted it an interdict against its striking workers on Friday, July 28.
It said that it approached the court following the week-long unlawful and illegal protest by employees affiliated with the South African municipal workers union (Samwu).
“The court correctly declared the strike action unlawful and unprotected and ordered the striking employees to disperse, and further restrained them from participating in the unlawful strike/unprotected strike action and performing any acts in continuance of furthering thereof.
“It also restrained striking workers from the destruction of property or performing acts of intimidation to any city employee.
“The city will put in place a plan to fast-track the backlog of unresolved service complaints occasioned by the unlawful and unprotected strike,” read the metro’s statement.
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