City of Tshwane fires over 90 employees involved in strike

The City of Tshwane has fired 93 employees in a space of two weeks for taking part in an unlawful and unprotected strike.

The city said it issued an additional 55 dismissal letters to employees as the strike entered its third week over wage increases.

City of Tshwane spokesperson Selby Bokaba said more dismissal letters are in the process of being issued to the striking employees.

“The strike action has now entered the third week, despite the Labour Court having granted the city an interim interdict against the strike and declaring it to be unlawful and unprotected on 28 July 2023.”

Intimidation

Bokaba said the court interdict directed the striking employees to stop intimidating their co-workers and not to damage the city’s property and any public or private property.

“When it became clear that the striking employees were in contempt of court, the city approached the Labour Court again on an urgent basis last Friday for the enforcement of the interim interdict,” Bokaba said.

“On Monday, 7 August 2023, the judge refused to grant the city the contempt order, and instead asked the city to identify the striking employees, together with the union leaders. The city has now identified the individuals behind the strike and is finalising its court application, which is likely to be filed tomorrow,” Bokaba said.

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Ultimatums

Bokaba added the striking employees, who are affiliated to labour trade union South African Municipal Workers Union (Samwu) were given three ultimatums by the city manager to return to work, but they disregarded his directives.

“Service delivery has been hampered in certain parts of the City of Tshwane due to continuous intimidation of employees by those who are participating in the strike. The city has devised plans to protect the workers who are being intimidated in order to prevent service interruptions.

“Today, the city opened a case docket of arson at the Lyttleton Police Station against striking employees who damaged the waste bins and set them alight at the waste management depot in Centurion,” Bokaba said.

ALSO READ: City of Tshwane gets interdict against striking Samwu workers