eThekwini Mayor Mxolisi Kaunda has called on the city administration to take all the necessary steps within the confines of the law to ensure that employees engaged in an illegal strike action return to work or face dismissal.
eThekwini Mayor Mxolisi Kaunda has warned striking municipal employees that if they do not return to work, they will face dismissal. To date 20 employees have been suspended in connection to the strike. The mayor made himself clear when he said lawlessness would not be tolerated.
“The city will not be held to ransom by the striking workers,” Mr Kaunda said.
The mayor called on the city administration to take all the necessary steps within the confines of the law to ensure that employees engaged in an illegal strike action return to work as soon as possible. This call was made by Mr Kaunda during a Special Executive Committee (EXCO) meeting convened to take stock of the situation and assess the city’s interventions since the illegal strike began on February 27.
Mr Kaunda expressed appreciation to eThekwini city manager Musa Mbhele for overseeing clean-up initiatives in Durban’s central business district and providing support to various units.
“The city remains committed to urgently reinstating services such as the provision of water and electricity, while addressing security threats posed by infrastructure sabotage,” said Mr Kaunda.
“Communities who have been without water and electricity for several days are bearing the brunt of this unlawful strike action. Patients have also sadly been unable to access healthcare. Refuse collection has also been affected with residents and businesses forced to contain refuse inside their properties until further notice.”
It was highlighted during the exco meeting that the municipality had not received a memorandum of grievances or petition from the South African Municipal Workers Union (SAMWU) apart for a one-page paper with Ekurhuleni Municipality pay scales which was submitted to the Office of the City Manager on February 27, said Mr Kaunda.
Based on the information submitted, it would seem that SAMWU is demanding pay parity to that of Ekurhuleni Municipality and/or implementation of Category 10 pay scales, he added.
“The matter regarding the implementation of the wage curve is still under negotiation at national level as it is a national competence. It was also reported during exco that the municipality obtained an urgent interdict in the Labour Court on February 28. The interdict against striking employees as well as those that are members of SAMWU, prohibits any unlawful conduct, acts of violence and interference with the city’s activities, services, and operations,” said Mayor Kaunda.
He added that it further restrains the striking employees from intimidating, harassing, assaulting, threatening or perpetuating acts of violence against employees, service providers or those accessing offices or workstations. The order also mandates employees to comply with their contracts of employment and comply with the Act, as committing unlawful conduct constitutes misconduct, and this could result in disciplinary action, said the mayor.
Employees are also interdicted from taking part in or instigating unlawful, disruptive, or riotous behaviour that may result in damage to municipal property, the infringement of rights of others, damage to any service delivery vehicles or hindering, obstructing, or blocking municipal vehicles. So far the city has suspended 20 employees in connection to the strike.
Exco members were also informed about the resolutions taken by a special meeting of the Ministers from the Justice Crime Prevention and Security (JCPS) Cluster on Sunday, March 3. A detailed progress report on interventions was also presented which included that:
Mr Kaunda reiterated that the municipality cannot allow lawlessness to prevail.
“As the leadership of the city we will not tolerate this kind of chaos. We are not running a Banana Republic, nor will we be held to ransom. We are now focusing our attention on restoring basic services such as water and electricity in all areas affected by the illegal strike,” he said.