Pretoria - Striking municipal workers in the City of Tshwane have been accused of torching two municipal vehicles in Pretoria West today.
Municipal spokesperson Selby Bokaba confirmed the torching of two of the city’s vehicles.
“They were torched outside the Princess Park Depot along Nana Sita (westbound), Charlotte Maxeke and Es’kia Mphahlele streets,” he said.
He said the water truck that belonged to the city had just drawn water from the depot for delivery at some Region 4 informal settlements when it was set alight.
“The driver was physically assaulted and managed to escape. Fortunately, he didn’t sustain serious injuries,” he said.
The bakkie, that was also torched at the same precinct as the truck, belongs to the city’s asset protection monitoring unit.
“Two members were injured and taken to hospital. The members are responsible for the protection of the city’s assets such as the depots and substations. At the time of their ambush they were busy monitoring the depots,” Bokaba said
The incident came after two refuse trucks were recently set alight, allegedly by striking workers while a municipal employee was attacked after reporting for duty.
On Tuesday, Bokaba said seven employees at Tshwane Bus Services (TBS) were served with intended letters of dismissal for supporting the strike action declared unlawful and unprotected by the Labour Court.
He said: “The seven employees, dubbed the strike ‘instigators’, five of whom are Samwu (South African Municipal Workers’ Union) shop stewards, are accused of preventing the buses yesterday (Monday) from being prepared for operations which were expected to resume this morning (Tuesday). They allegedly intimidated their non-striking colleagues at the C De Wet Depot in the Pretoria CBD.”
The City has, to date, fired 123 employees and Bokaba said more dismissals were in the pipeline against employees defying the interim court interdict.
Pretoria News