daily news reporters and Sapa
Striking municipal workers trashed streets and allegedly intimidated non-striking workers as the strike intensified in Durban this morning.
Striking SA Municipal Workers Union (Samwu) members overturned rubbish bins in Sydney Road, Beatrice and Yusuf Dadoo (Grey) streets and Quarry Road as they made their way to Currie’s Fountain for a march through the city.
DA Durban North Ward Councillor Dean Macpherson said more than 100 striking workers forced their way into the Durban North depot where they assaulted people with sjamboks, knobkieries and pangas.
Some of the injured people were taken to Umhlanga Hospital, Macpherson said.
Jaycee Ncanana, the union’s provincial secretary, said 12 000 workers were expected to march down Dr Pixley kaSeme (West) Street to the city hall to hand a memorandum to the mayor.
Samwu has demanded an increase of 18 percent or R2 000, whichever is greater, but the SA Local Government Association (Salga) has offered 6.8 percent.
Salga said the demand for 18 percent was unreasonable and would affect the budgets of municipalities adversely.
“If this demand is to be met… the rates and taxes of municipalities will have to increase by 18 percent… which will lead to a negative reduction in services,” it said.
Ncanana said the workers would not back down until their demands had been met.
Speaking at the executive committee meeting yesterday, mayor James Nxumalo confirmed that he would receive the memorandum.
In Pietermaritzburg, Msunduzi Municipality called for calm among union members as the strike turned nasty.
Strikers caused chaos in the city centre, turning over rubbish bins and throwing litter at passing cars. Refuse lined Church, Pietermaritz, Langalibalele and Chief Albert Luthuli streets.
Strikers also assaulted and intimidated their non-striking counterparts at the AS Chetty building in Church Street.
In Port Shepstone, a small group of protesters demonstrated peacefully outside the Hibiscus Coast municipal offices. Police closed the street until the workers dispersed.
Samwu began its nationwide strike on Monday.
Police spokesman, Lieutenant Colonel Vincent Mdunge, said police officers would be out in full force today to ensure that the strike did not turn violent.
eThekwini municipal manager, Michael Sutcliffe, stressed yesterday that essential service municipal employees who had joined the strike would be subject to a disciplinary hearing.
The Independent Municipal Allied Trade Union, representing more than 70 000 workers, is preparing to join the strike on Friday.
l Public service unions and the government had reached a salary agreement after almost six months of negotiating, the Independent Labour Caucus said yesterday.
State employees will receive a 6.8 percent salary raise, backdated to May 1, while other benefits such as medical aid and housing will be subject to further negotiation.
Pensioners will continue to receive free medical aid, and their benefits will be aligned to those of current employees.