Durban - The Newcastle municipality has suspended 73 employees after a protest last week over the non-payment of overtime.
The municipality confirmed that the workers were suspended with full pay pending disciplinary processes. Union representatives said the number suspended had since risen to about 200.
On Thursday, the protesters engaged in a physical confrontation with mayor Ntuthuko Mahlaba and his bodyguards. Mahlaba was struck on the face with a brick.
Involved in the protest were general workers, including security, fire department officers and traffic personnel. Six shop stewards belonging to the SA Municipal Workers Union (Samwu) were among those suspended.
Samwu Midlands deputy secretary Nkosingiphile Mpanza said yesterday more workers had since received messages on their cellphones alerting them to their suspension.
“Some of our members were suspended via cellphone messages and on Friday there were close to 200 suspensions. The employer has handled this unprofessionally.
"We have binding contracts regarding overtime, but it all went wrong when no overtime pay was reflected on the payslips on September 23. The employer had all the time to alert our members that there will be no overtime pay, instead of keeping quiet. Some workers depend on this money and to leave them in the dark is unprofessional,” Mpanza said.
He said the city cited financial constraints for the non-payment, but questioned how the municipality could source private security services instead of paying overtime due to its employees.
“We are going to defend our members and the employer will compensate them heavily when this is over,” he said.
DA councillor Bessie Cronje said the situation was getting worse as rubbish remained uncollected since the protest on Thursday.
Cronje said the municipality could have avoided the “crisis” but lacked the political will to do so.
She said the municipality would outline its plan of action at an executive committee meeting tomorrow.
Municipal spokesperson Dr Dumisani Thabethe said he could confirm that 73 employees had been suspended so far.