17 hours ago
Municipal workers to strike in Ballito on Monday
Hundreds of Samwu-affiliated municipal workers are expected to march in Ballito on Monday, June 30 while on strike.
This according to Samwu (South African Municipal Workers Union) KwaDukuza secretary, Nkululeko Dladla, who said the action comes as a result of previous strike demands not being met.
The march is expected to begin at the Ballito Taxi Rank at 8am and finish at the KwaDukuza municipal (KDM) building opposite the Ballito Clinic on Leonora Drive where a memorandum will be handed over to the municipality.
However, KDM spokesperson Sifiso Zulu said the municipality had received no formal communication from the union about the strike.
Meanwhile, iLembe district police communications official, Priya Nunkumar-Bukum, said Umhlali Saps is aware of the proposed strike and confirmed there will be additional officers, including public order police, on the ground.
Residents should still prepare for major traffic delays and potential lane closures.
Motorists are encouraged to use alternative routes where possible.
According to Dladla, frustration among municipal workers has been growing since the last Samwu strike, which lasted for four days between May 5-8.
Over that time, some local beaches did not have lifeguard protection and some areas in the north of KwaDukuza had no waste collection service.
'We went on strike and handed over our memorandum, but we have not received all the answers we needed,' said Dladla.
'That strike was suspended because negotiations were taking place. Since we are not reaching agreements on some of those issues raised, workers decided to take it to the streets.'
Samwu's demands from the previous strike include:
Implementation of a 2022 council resolution to align all municipal salaries to Grade 5.
A reduction in the working week from six to five days.
Accountability for the R35.7-million stolen during an embezzlement scandal in January.
The suspension of municipal manager Nhlanhla Mdakane, whom the union accuses of failing to implement adequate cyber security measures.
The union gave the municipality until July 1 to act on these demands and claims they were not sufficiently met.
At the time, Zulu said the municipality would defer to decisions on municipal grading made during national bargaining agreements.
In a full sitting of council on Thursday, June 26, it was revealed that some progress had since been made in negotiations between the South African Local Government Association (Salga) and municipal unions at the national bargaining committee.
At talks on May 28-30, the parties agreed that one system of categorisation should be used for senior managers and employees, with further details still to be negotiated. The parties also agreed to consult '21st-century remuneration experts' to develop new salary and wage scales.
According to Salga, further negotiations are set for July 29-31.
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