CITY of Johannesburg councillors collectively agreed, during an extra-ordinary council sitting on Wednesday, April 6, to mobilise communities for the cleanup of the metropolitan city amidst the ongoing illegal strike by Pikitup workers.
The decision was announced by Johannesburg Executive Mayor Clr Parks Tau, in his closing remarks in council, where he applauded those residents and businesses who have partnered with the city in a bid to clean it up.
Tau particularly welcomed and commended the private security sector’s announcement of a commitment on Tuesday, April 5, to make additional resources available to ensure the safety of deployed workers and service providers in the roll-out of contingency cleanup measures”It is important to clarify that the city is committed to addressing the issues of parity that will apply throughout the organisation, without compromising its financial structure,” he said.
“We are also committed to investigating allegations against the managing director of Pikitup within the legal framework, which prohibits us from starting an investigation of allegations with a suspension, without any basis for that action.
“It was wrong of labour to disrupt interviews as a way of dealing with management and then taking to the streets without following due processes in place for labour disputes.
”We cannot be placed in a situation where we have to consult labour when we must appoint an MD or a supervisor.”
The councillors’ commitment comes after the House had heard that the 4 000 Pikitup workers had been found guilty in a recent disciplinary hearing for their participation in an unprotected work stoppage.
The city is now awaiting recommendations on sanctions for the respective individual employees.
The hearing was held on March 29, 30 and 31 and concluded on Tuesday, April 5, when the workers were found guilty of charges of gross misconduct related to their participation in the ongoing, unprotected industrial action.
Johannesburg Speaker of Council, Clr Connie Bapela, said the extra-ordinary sitting was convened in terms of Rule 16 of the Standing Rules of Council 2013.
“This was in order to afford the Johannesburg executive mayor an opportunity to brief council on interventions underway to resolve the current labour impasse and restore waste management services to normality,” she said.
The Speaker added that the sitting was also to afford councillors an equal opportunity to engage the city’s executive on the strike, its impact and a way forward.
