DA lays charges against ‘union’ social media group for threats, sabotage
Gauteng Samwu secretary Mpho Tladinyane claims that employees are however being kept from accessing their workplaces and municipal vehicles, leaving them unable to render services in Tshwane.
The Tshwane DA says it has laid criminal charges against members of the South African municipal workers union (Samwu) for conspiracy to sabotage service delivery.
The political party registered a case on Friday after an unknown whistleblower blew the lid on a Telegram media group of 2 693 members allegedly conspiring to sabotage service delivery in the metro.
Screenshots of the group chats read: “Let’s deal with service providers at least if we burn or beat them….”
“Tshwane must shut down. Let target service provider in the night.”
While others state: “The small boy (Cilliers Brink) knows very well we are not on strike. We holding our tools of the trade.”
Tshwane DA caucus spokesperson Kwena Moloto said the group chats show serious action to sabotage, kidnap and intent to cause grievous bodily harm to others.
“Some of the discussions went as far as to conspire to kidnap the mayor’s wife.”
Moloto said the DA registered the case at the Brooklyn police station, east of Pretoria after a concerned whistleblower came forward and shared the disturbing messages.
“The group includes known Samwu members,” claimed Moloto.
“Messages on this group explicitly discuss and plan acts of sabotage aimed at disrupting vital municipal services and infrastructure.
“The discussions go even further and highlight the increasing prevalence of violent criminal behaviour characterising the illegal strike as violent criminal intentions to assault the city manager and kidnap people are outlined.”
Moloto said the messages were taken in a serious light following attacks on waste trucks, the sabotaging of critical water infrastructure, the stoning of Tshwane vehicles, assaults and attempted murder of municipal employees and the burning of municipal depots in the month-long strike action.
He said violence had become commonplace amid the illegal strike.
Samwu has however maintained that its workers are not on strike and that Tshwane had been locking them away from tools of duty, which was in return hampering service delivery to residents.
Police have not yet commented on the case however, Gauteng Samwu secretary Mpho Tladinyane said they were concerned over employees being kept from accessing their workplace and municipal vehicles, leaving them unable to render services.
“It has also come to our attention that on August 16, Tshwane unleashed Red Ants on workers at the Temba water plant.”
He claimed that the Red Ants had harassed and physically removed the workers from municipal premises.
“As Samwu, we are concerned that workers who have been reporting for duty as per the July 28 Labour Court rule and the instruction by the union have been harassed, and removed from municipal premises thus rendering them unable to deliver services to residents.
“Our members have also been illegally locked out of municipal premises in Centurion, where municipal offices were cordoned off with razor wire thus preventing workers from accessing the workplace.”
Tladinyane said the actions of Tshwane to hand over keys to the municipal fleet resulted in service delivery backlogs throughout the city.
“As things stand, the Tshwane bus services have temporarily halted operations while workers, especially those from water and sanitation are unable to respond to breakdowns. Many areas within the CBD and townships have not been receiving any services from the metro.
“These illegal actions by Tshwane are part of the propaganda being spread by the metro and its mayor, which seeks to portray workers as having neglected their duty.”
Tladinyane said the union condemned the publicity stunt by Tshwane.
“We have been on record that Samwu and its members have been complying with the rule issued by the Labour Court. The union and its legal team are prepared for the Labour Court to fully ventilate the matter.”
Metro works on restoring services in Region 1
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