Pretoria - City of Tshwane mayor Cilliers Brink has welcomed the SA Municipal Workers Union (Samwu) call to end the wage increase strike by urging striking members to return to work.
However, he said that the call to return to work had come too late as the damage was already done due to a five-week unprotected and violent strike.
“Our residents have suffered numerous service delivery interruptions. Furthermore, the reality is that on the ground the strike is not over.
“We are still seeing so-called go-slows and significant work stoppages by employees who still refuse to follow work instructions.
“There are also ongoing acts of violence and intimidation directed at staff and service providers,” Brink said.
He encouraged Samwu’s leadership to further engage with their members to ensure that the no strike message was clear to all.
“To our residents, this five-week unprotected strike action has caused significant difficulties for the City. We have seen employees being shot for carrying out their duties, service providers being attacked, property being destroyed, and in a recent incident a fire hydrant was blocked with cement so that firefighters could not execute their work of saving City assets and properties,” Brink said.
He said the damage was “so severe to the point that even if there is a complete return to work, there are costs associated with this unprotected strike that the City will have to bear for a significant period of time”.
He acknowledged that the City had seen its trust relationship with residents deteriorating with services not being delivered.
“However, I want to thank residents who have been patient and who have not broken the law, but who continued to meet their obligations.
“I am encouraged by those of us who uphold the rule of law and who believe in the Constitution and in the city that we are working to build for all its people.
“I promise you that I will continue to fight for a city where the rule of law is upheld and where there are consequences for criminal conduct,” he said.
DA Tshwane caucus spokesperson Kwena Moloto also acknowledged Samwu’s recent decision to distance itself from the ongoing unlawful strike.
“We perceive this as a positive step in the direction of restoring service delivery and lawfulness to our city, but this is by far not the final solution,” he said.
He said Samwu members have participated in sabotage, destruction of municipal infrastructure, intimidation of municipal staff, leading to the shooting and near-fatal injury of one worker, and the collapse of service delivery.
“Having allowed these actions, mere distancing falls short of what is required.
“It is imperative that Samwu takes proactive measures to gain control of its members,” he said.
The City was yesterday scheduled to engage with the Local Government Collective Bargaining Council to seek an exemption for proposed pay increases.
Moloto said: “The DA earnestly implores Samwu to display responsible leadership by presenting its members’ concerns at the negotiation table and insisting on the end of the wave of sabotage, disruption, and illegality.”
Pretoria News