Municipal employees “too afraid” to report for work
The municipal civic centre is closed and municipal employees are all gathered outside, with some leaving the premises due to ongoing labour unrest.
A full-blown strike has, however, not been announced.
Municipal Management has also announced that a no work, no pay policy is being implemented.
All municipal employees have been ordered back to work.
Despite the orders, a large group of dissidents are threatening and intimidating employees who have shown up to work.
A source on the ground told www.mobserver.co.za that employees are too afraid to challenge strike instigators after vehicles were damaged during the previous strike.
The labour unrest comes on the back of a volatile gambit last week during which main strike instigator, Kgosi Makwati, was served with suspension papers after a service delivery meeting was disrupted and members of the public attending the meeting, intimidated and shoved around.
Acting Municipal Manager, Ms Thokozile Zulu, was also doused with water by the unruly disruptors, some of whom have been identified and face suspension too.
Currently municipal services at the civic centre are also suspended until further notice.
Members of the public should therefore avoid the municipal buildings.
Meetings are also underway at the magasyn, a gathering point for striking employees.
A large number of employees are unhappy because their salary adjustments after benchmarking salaries and job grades against Nkomazi Municipality did not benefit them financially.
They now demand that the money earmarked for 24-months worth of backpay, be divided equally among workers.
Higher earners and others that financially gained by the benchmarking process, however, are not willing to share their gains with the instigators.
Councillors are also maintaining a low profile though council is united in ending the ongoing unrest.
