VANDERBIJLPARK – Tensions boiled over on Tuesday, 01 October, when hundreds of furious Emfuleni Local Municipality (ELM) employees went on a rampage after their salaries were not paid
Angry workers turned the town into a trashed warzone with garbage scattered all over, ELM head offices barricaded with burning tires, rocks, and debris.
The unrest erupted following Eskom’s recent move to seize all four of ELM’s bank accounts in a desperate bid to recover a whopping R8b debt owed by the municipality.
The power utility, known for taking no prisoners, had enough of the repeated failures to settle the bill under the Municipal Finance Management Act 124 Debt Relief Programme.
Workers, fed up with excuses, decided to take matters into their own hands.
Fearing victimisation, several employees poured out their frustrations, revealing a pattern of salary delays and empty promises from the local council.
“We are tired of working for free while ELM mishandles our money. This is not what we signed up for,” said one employee.
As the chaos unfolded, members of the South African Municipal Workers Union (SAMWU) swooped in to show solidarity with the disgruntled staff.
SAMWU Regional Chairperson Edward Skhuphela said: “We are always here to discuss the way forward. We haven’t met the management of ELM, however they said [telephonically] they are waiting for a court judgment and also informed us that Eskom did not respond to the affidavit the municipality submitted. We are not interested in anything else except the payment of salaries.”
ELM spokesperson Makhosonke Sangweni said: “Discussions to resolve the matter are underway with different stakeholders including Eskom, the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs as well as the provincial government. Workers are well aware of the situation and the municipality is working tirelessly to find a long-lasting solution.”
Sangweni did acknowledge that it is the democratic right of workers to protest, “as long as they do it peacefully. To trash around and vandalise infrastructure is unacceptable.”
