Municipal workers protest in Durban
According to reports, the strike was fuelled by workers demanding to be paid the same as MK veterans employed by the city.
Traffic in the Durban CBD due to protest action. Image: Berea Mail
eThekweni municipal workers reportedly embarked on a strike in the Durban central business district, leading to traffic congestion.
According to other reports, earlier the N3 leading to the city, in the vicinity of the Pinetown area, was blockaded with municipal trucks.
All roads to eThekwini are blocked by striking municipal workers. We do not believe in coincidences but political sabotage by the governing party. We confirm the much will go on even if at 17:00pm!! Down with political intolerance and political killings down!! pic.twitter.com/vTgmU0H447
— EFF KZN (@EFFKZN) April 30, 2019
It was reported that the protesting workers are from Durban Solid Waste and the city’s department of water and sanitation. As a result, service delivery has come to a halt in the city, reports Berea Mail.
There is currently a strike in the Durban CBD by @eThekwiniM DSW and Water & Sanitation workers. Avoid the area. Heavy traffic congestion. @TeamNews24 pic.twitter.com/rHSqSJ2PUY
— Kaveel Singh (@kaveels) April 30, 2019
On Monday, the Democratic Alliance (DA) in the province claimed that the ongoing strike in the department had been fuelled by city officials who allegedly flouted the HR process in order to hire Umkhonto weSizwe veterans.
The party’s KZN premier candidate, Zwakele Mncwango, said in a statement: “The hiring of MK veterans led to general staff being paid more than their senior counterparts, an issue union leaders called to be resolved, and were ignored.”
It was reported that the striking workers are demanding to be paid the same amount as the MK veterans.
Workers are demanding that they also be given a Grade 10 salary increase, which MK veterans were given.
Attempts to obtain comments from the municipality were unsuccessful.
Motorists are urged to stay away from areas such as Dr Yusuf Dadoo (Grey)/Dr AB Xuma (Commercial) Streets, Soldiers Way/Monty Naicker (Pine) Road, Dorothy Nyembe (Gardner)/Dr Pixley KaSeme (West) Streets, Samore Machel (Aliwal)/Anton Lembede (Smith)/Joe Slovo (Field) Streets and Megacity.
KZN SAPS spokesperson, Captain Nqobile Gwala said it is alleged that 1500 municipal workers blockaded the road leading to the city hall.
“No case has been opened and no injuries have been reported. Police are in the area monitoring the situation,” Gwala said.
ALSO READ: DA calls for eThekwini municipality to be placed under administration
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