STRIKE IS STILL ON: Is there light at the end of the tunnel?

Ray Nkonyeni Municipality (RNM) workers who have been on strike for three months are still waiting for answers as to when they will get paid and for their colleagues’ suspensions to be uplifted.

In a meeting held on Wednesday, several issues that needed to be ironed out were discussed so that an agreement could be reached. The South African Municipal Workers Union’s (SAMWU) first deputy president, Mluleki Mbhele, said he has to report back the municipality’s offer to the workers.

“The issues are the suspensions of the five workers, and that the municipality’s leadership say they will backpay going into 2026, and the workers don’t agree with this payment plan.”

According to a municipal source, SAMWU was unhappy with the fine print that was being discussed and needed to go through it carefully.

“It’s a matter of finalising the agreement that will make both the employer and employee happy. A little light at the end of the tunnel is being seen.”

The Herald spoke to some workers outside council chambers in Port Shepstone on Wednesday, who said they will not return to work until an agreement is reached on both issues (suspensions and backpay).

“The municipality decided to suspend our colleagues while we were still in discussions; that is pure disrespect. We have tried to compromise on how and when we will get the money; until then, we wait,” said one of the workers. Some workers were not paid their January salaries. According to Mbhele, the municipality said it was an error and that every worker should receive their salary by this Friday (today).

The workers held a general meeting chaired by the provincial leadership of SAMWU on Monday morning this week, where it was heard that some of the workers received just R500 of their salaries.

At the same time, the leadership of SAMWU presented RNM’s proposal – to pay the workers three months backpay under grade 5 and also upgrade them.

He added that the proposal stated that the first payment will be made in February, then December and the final instalment in March 2026.”The workers refused the offer and demanded four months backpay and that it be paid in 2025.” According to Mbhele, in previous discussions, they were told that they (RNM) does not have enough money to pay immediately. “Nothing has been formalised as yet; there hasn’t been any agreement or anything written down. We were only reporting to the workers and getting a mandate from them.”

At the meeting, workers also instructed their leadership to ask RNM to uplift the suspensions of the five workers.

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