Premier, senior SAPS and municipality staff trigger action plan as strike continues

Anarchy will not be tolerated despite workers having a constitutional right to strike. That was the strong message from KwaZulu-Natal Premier Nomusa Dube-Ncube at an urgent meeting held with eThekwini Municipality mayor Mxolisi Kaunda and SAPS senior officials to deliberate on the illegal strike by eThekwini Municipality workers.

The illegal strike has been going on for more than a week - characterised by the blocking of roads, and in some cases by vandalising infrastructure.

“The municipality is extremely concerned about the violence accompanied by intimidation and damage to property caused in the name of striking workers. The interdict against striking employees as well as those that are members of the South African Municipal Workers’ Union, prohibits any unlawful conduct, acts of violence and interference with the city’s activities, services, and operations,” eThekwini Municipality communications spokesperson Gugu Sisilana said last week.

The Premier and the Mayor promised to work together with law-enforcement authorities to deal decisively with the illegal strike.

The strike, initiated on February 27, stems from concerns raised by Samwu-affiliated employees regarding the re-categorisation of the municipality, aiming to align salaries with those of other metros in the country. However, the city has deemed the strike as "unauthorised and unlawful labour unrest," impacting service delivery and municipal operations.

Despite the eThekwini Municipality having secured an interdict from the Durban Labour court against the illegal strike on Thursday February 29, the Durban Central Business District remains impassable due to accumulated garbage, as the strike persists.

Last week workers had also dumped garbage throughout the city and blocked off roads with refuse, while Mangosuthu Highway near the Mega City Mall in Umlazi was barricaded with burning tyres.

On the day the interdict was granted, workers intensified their action by forcing their way into a council meeting at Durban’s International Convention Centre (ICC).

There, they demanded that the council take a resolution to employ all 5 000 temporary workers who have been operating under the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP). The workers also insisted on speaking to eThekwini Mayor Mxolisi Kaunda, but he refused to talk to them and said they would need to make an appointment with him to discuss the matter.

At yesterday’s joint meeting, Ms Dube-Ncube expressed grave concerns about the striking workers' actions, likening them to treason and, in some instances, attempted murder. She emphasised the collaboration between the provincial government, the municipality, and the business sector to develop interventions addressing the disruptions caused by the strike. Additionally, heightened security measures, including police and Metro police presence, have been implemented to safeguard staff on duty.

The following measures will be implemented:

• A technical task team comprising officials from all spheres of government has been established to implement co-ordinated interventions by relevant departments.
• To address the challenge of intimidation and attacks on non-striking workers, Metro Police and private security have been sourced to escort staff to service delivery points including clearing of roads, electricity faults, water leaks, burst pipes and refuse removal. Both the municipal and provincial law enforcement agencies are on high alert and will act without any fear to the acts of impunity. This will allow staff to respond to reservoirs overflowing or running empty, valves being closed, burst pipes and water leaks.
• As part of the business continuity plan, the municipality has made provision for some key employees to work remotely. Contractors have also been engaged to do some work such as refuse collection and attending to water and electricity faults.
• A team has been set up to analyse all video footage of the destruction of property, including abuse of state vehicles that were in the hands of municipality officials who participated in the illegal strike. This process is well under way, and culprits are being identified through internal processes and they will be arrested soon.
• The Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) has provided a four-person team to fast-track disciplinary action of those found to have been involved in untoward behaviour.
• The eThekwini leadership will meet with the leadership of SAMWU, to explain to them that no amount of grievances should result in destruction of infrastructure and denying citizens their rights to basic services.
• The municipality has also engaged the Department of Water and Sanitation, COGTA, as well as Umgeni-Uthukela Water to provide technical assistance and additional water tankers.

“Importantly, those who are involved in this anarchy will be liable for litigation for damages. Our legal units have been tasked to analyse that area,” said Ms Ncube-Dube.

She said field workers in the province have been activated through Operation Sukuma Sakhe to conduct clean-up operations throughout the city as part of this operation named Mbo.

Ms Ncube-Dube said the business sector had pledged to work with government as part of their interventions.

“We want to assure the residents of eThekwini that consequence management will be applied to all workers who participated in the illegal and unprotected industrial action,” she said.