#WaterCrisis: Ugu staff are back at work
An agreement has been reached and it is hoped water will soon be restored to all areas of the South Coast.
It’s back to business as usual for Ugu, and hopefully this means the end of the ongoing water crisis currently facing residents in the district.
A solution was reached last night, following a lengthy meeting between Ugu management and Samwu workers.
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The meeting, chaired by KwaZulu-Natal Premier, Willies Mchunu continued throughout the night, finishing up at 2am today (Friday) when an agreement was signed.
According to a joint statement issued by the office of the premier and Ugu, all workers have returned to work.
“Both parties have agreed to allow for the law to take its course in finding the culprits responsible for the vandalism or damaging of infrastructure which led to subsequent water supply interruptions,” reads the statement.
Both parties have agreed to finalise all outstanding issues by Tuesday, July 31.
A facilitation team was also appointed, which is expected to submit regular reports to the premier who will provide oversight over the dispute resolution process.
Commenting on the matter, Samwu provincial secretary, Jaycee Ncanana said the workers were pleased with the role the office of the premier had played in resolving the matter.
“We hope that when the agreement is being rolled out it will also address the concerns raised by parties in the dispute,” said Mr Ncanana.
Public Works MEC Ravi Pillay said the labour dispute had reached “crisis proportions” and was threatening to cost the district dearly in job creation, especially those linked to tourism. In the medium term, he said, the dispute would lead to the reversal of economic growth and the flight of international investment from the district.
The premier said his main priority was ensuring residents and community members had water supply.
“The first consideration is that the water must start flowing as soon as possible. Above all else, this is what has brought us here, to see that this basic right to water is provided to the people of this district,” he said.
UGU mayor Mondli Chiliza said he was pleased that there was “light at the end of the tunnel” and called for respect from both sides in future engagements.
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