South Africa’s largest municipal workers union has vowed to revive its presence in the region and held its first general meeting at KwaDukuza Town Hall recently.
Nineteen shop stewards were elected to represent the South African Municipal Workers Union (SAMWU) in the district with former union secretary, Sipho Mzimela, elected as chairperson. Phumlile Ntuli took the position of deputy chairperson and Simphiwe Magagula was voted in as secretary for the Ilembe region.
Magagula said despite the union not achieving much in the past few years, their goal was to rebuild the union in the Ilembe region into a strong, militant and democratic worker’s movement.
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“SAMWU has been strengthened and we are ready for battle in defence of the working class,” Magagula said.
“Reports handed over by the outgoing leadership indicate a decline in our membership and activity. We have a duty therefore to work twice as hard for all workers so that we win back those who revoked their SAMWU membership, and also welcome new members,” Magagula added.
In a statement from the national body, SAMWU said municipalities have become a breeding ground for corruption and fraud and that municipalities have become a free pass for all to do as they please.
“We call on our members not to be discouraged from reporting corruption as we will further continue to fight for remedial action where corruption is concerned. We are still adamant that SAMWU will take the Auditor General’s report to the Public Protector for investigation of those who are implicated, after the dreadful revelation that 239 out of 257 municipalities have not received clean audits.”
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SAMWU represents workers in the water and waste, electricity, health and housing sectors in South Africa.
However, a number of services carried out by municipal workers are designated as essential under section 70 of the Labour Relations Act, which puts a limit on essential service workers’ right to strike.
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