SAMWU members demanding wage increases protest outside the National Treasury building in the Pretoria CBD where they delivered a memorandum, 1 June 2021, Pretoria. Picture: Jacques Nelles
Pretoria could be left without services if the City of Tshwane fails to respond to the demands of its employees in a week.
Workers downed tools on Tuesday and handed over a memorandum to the City.
The SA Municipal Workers Union’s (Samwu) regional secretary, Mpho Tladinyane, said they were demanding a R4 000 wage increase, R15 000 sectoral minimum wage, R3 500 housing allowance and 25% pension contribution.
Tladinyane added they wanted the municipality to fix all its buildings that were not suitable for human habitation.
The union said some buildings where its members worked were not in a healthy state.
“We want the municipality to dismantle a white cabal within critical departments such as legal, finance, human resources and Tshwane metro police. We also demand that the abuse of Samwu shop stewards by senior managers end,” Tladinyane added.
The union wants the City to pay an outstanding grading scheme to all Tshwane Metro Police Department constables.
“We give them seven days to respond. If they don’t respond, we will embark on a shutdown as we have done before,” he warned.
Meanwhile, City spokesperson Lindela Mashigo warned residents about the disruption of services due to the protest action.
“Some of our staff members have reported being unable to carry out their duties due to the protest under way. We are exploring various options for stabilising the situation and safeguarding our staff to render services unhindered.
“The law enforcement agencies have assured us of their commitment to protecting the personnel and municipal assets in the face of possible intimidation and threats.
“They have also undertaken to deal decisively and firmly with vandalism, thuggery, hooliganism and criminality that have characterised certain parts of the city in the past few days,” Mashigo said.
Services that have been affected by the strike are water and sanitation as well as roads, electricity and cemeteries.
“The City profusely apologises for the inconvenience caused and undertakes to restore normal services as speedily and as practically as possible,” Mashigo said.
The City is expected to comment on the union’s demands once it has received the memorandum.
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