The 19 employees all claimed promotions that would have added R9,588,829 to the monthly salary bill of the Emfuleni Local Municipality (ELM), the local authority confirmed this week.

The 19 had already initiated proceedings with the Bargaining Council in 2016 and are still employed at ELM, said ELM spokesperson Makhosonke Sangweni.

“For us, this is not just a legal victory, but an accomplishment necessary for the survival of the municipality and its ability to fulfil its Constitutional mandate of providing adequate services to its consumers,” said Sangweni.

Employment level disputes have been plaguing ELM for years and the latest ruling by the Bargaining Council is expected to curb  excessive labour instability caused by employee conflict with ELM.

ELM has now formally set itself against rampant indiscipline and corruption within its ranks by adopting a “Business Unusual” approach – as opposed to “Business as Usual”.

The latest Bargaining Council ruling has also circumvented another group claim by another 18 employees against ELM, said the municipality.

“The municipality has been prone to employee ill-discipline for some time, we firmly believe the recent dismissal of some senior officials will also send a strong message,” Sangweni concluded.