The municipal workers’ strike has been suspended indefinitely.
“The Executive Mayor is pleased to announce that some inroads have been made in easing the tension between the management of the municipality and organised labour, and that the strike is indefinitely suspended,” said Tshidiso Thlaripe, Rand West City Local Municipal spokesperson.
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The announcement follows from a meeting that took place in Westonaria between the municipality’s Political Management Team and the South African Municipal Workers’ Union (SAMWU) in the West Rand region on Thursday, 22 August.
As of today, 23 August, employees will resume their official duties,” Thlaripe said.
He added that other issues resolved included that the meeting between the municipal management, Gauteng CoGTA, SALGA and SAMWU will resume today (23 August) to consider all labour concerns as generated by SAMWU, that the meeting of all parties should seek to find solutions to the issues as raised by SAMWU and in case of a possible deadlock, the Political Management Team of the municipality will intervene and provide leadership on the matter.
The Herald reported on Tuesday, 22 August that workers had downed tools and embarked on a strike, demanding a salary increase and the removal of the municipal manager.
Thlaripe said, “Employees engaged in a protest seeking clarity from the management of the municipality regarding the grading of the municipality. The Mayor, in concert with the Council Speaker and Chief Whip, subsequently took on the responsibility of intervening, and urged the delegation of personnel from Gauteng CoGTA, SALGA and SAMWU to meet and address the matter.
The Mayor wishes to take this opportunity to apologise to the community of Rand West City for the failure to render municipal services during the period of the protest and the inconvenience caused.
“We are alive to the fact that the protest has had some negative effects on our communities and the municipality will generate a schedule to redress all the service delivery backlogs caused by the protest.
The municipality continues to place the interest of its communities at the forefront of its daily work and will strengthen its relations with residents despite the damage caused by the sudden employee protest.”
Lastly, he said, “The Mayor appreciates the efforts made by the Gauteng MEC for CoGTA to speedily make personnel available in an effort to accelerate the discussions and find solutions for the concerns of the workers.”
Thlaripe added that the municipality will from time to time update the residents of Rand West City on the development of the discussions between municipal management, Gauteng CoGTA, SALGA and SAMWU.
