Latest news with #SouthAfricanMunicipalWorkers'Union
Eyewitness News
6 days ago
- Politics
- Eyewitness News
Tshwane metro says awaiting investigation into 44 dismissed SAMWU workers
JOHANNESBURG - The Tshwane metro says it will only be able to give clarity on the fate of 44 dismissed employees once investigations into allegations against them have been completed. This comes after the South African Municipal Workers' Union (SAMWU) marched to the city's headquarters on Wednesday, calling for the city to honour an agreement of 3.5% salary increases. This in addition to the immediate reinstatement of the dismissed employees. According to the union, the group was unfairly let go in 2021 by the then Democratic Alliance-led administration under former mayor Cilliers Brink. The dismissals in question were effected after a salary increase dispute when the city failed to honor an agreement reached with the union at the time. The agreement was that workers would receive a 3.5% increase in 2021 and a 5.4% boost in 2023.
IOL News
7 days ago
- Politics
- IOL News
Samwu vows to hold Tshwane political parties accountable for unpaid salary increases
The South African Municipal Workers' Union (Samwu) in Tshwane marched to Tshwane House to demand the implementation of the outstanding salary increments and reinstatement of unfairly dismissed colleagues with immediate effect. Image: Oupa Mokoena / Independent Newspapers The South African Municipal Workers' Union (Samwu) in Tshwane has threatened to use the 2026 local government elections to hold political parties accountable for refusing to pay outstanding salary increases of 3.5% and 5.4%. These increases, part of a collective wage agreement for the 2021/22 and 2023/2024 financial years, have been a point of contention between the union and the City of Tshwane. The workers' demands were aired on Wednesday during their march to Tshwane House, where they gave the city a seven-day ultimatum to respond. The demands include implementing the outstanding salary increments and reinstating unfairly dismissed colleagues with immediate effect. Samwu regional chairperson Lehlogonolo Maphatsoe accused the current administration, led by ActionSA, ANC, and EFF, of hypocrisy. He claimed they had previously lied to workers by demanding the reinstatement of dismissed workers and the implementation of salary increases when the DA-led administration was in power. 'It is now their time to implement and they are doing something else,' he said. He urged workers to unite, stating that no political party in Tshwane truly represents their interests. Deputy Mayor Eugene Modise, who received the workers' memorandum of demands, said the city proposed a phased payment approach for the 3.5% salary increase to Samwu leadership, starting with junior staff, followed by middle staff, and finally senior staff, which the union reportedly agreed to. However, Maphatsoe denied this, saying the city executive offered once-off payments in two instalments scheduled for 2026 and 2027, which the union rejected. 'We want the 3.5% to be implemented into our normal salaries, not as a once-off payment,' he said. Modise said the city will review the cases of 43 workers who were dismissed and consider rehiring those who were unfairly dismissed. Workers complained that they didn't have the tools of trade, but Modise countered that the municipality had procured at least 75 waste trucks. With the 2026 local government elections approaching, Maphatsoe reminded workers of their voting power, warning that their collective action could impact the outcome. 'A political party that I will advise that you vote for is the political party that is prepared to pay our 3.5% increase and 5.4%,' he said. The workers' demands come after a May 9 Labour Court ruling, which referred the matter back to the South African Local Government Bargaining Council for a new hearing on the 3.5% wage increase after the city had initially sought an exemption from implementing it.
IOL News
05-08-2025
- Politics
- IOL News
The deadly consequences of whistleblowing for municipal workers in South Africa
The South African Municipal Workers' Union says municipal workers need protection due to threats linked to their work. Image: Independent Newspapers Archives Poor service delivery, politics, and whistleblowing have turned the local government sphere into a 'war zone,' resulting in the deaths of close to 150 municipal workers in the past six years. The South African Municipal Workers Union (Samwu) revealed that since 2018, about 148 municipal workers have been assassinated. It stated that whistleblowing is now the leading cause of these killings and called for municipal workers, especially those who work in procurement, to be provided with protection even beyond their workplace. The union indicated that the statistics were gleaned from several reports compiled by a non-governmental organisation. Samwu general secretary Dumisani Magagula detailed the extent of the problem and the threat faced by municipal workers during an interview with a television news channel. He stated that the data was compiled by the Crisis Mapping Association and Corruption Watch, which has also gathered data with the union and Stats SA on killings in local government. 'It was revealed that since 2018, 148 officials have been killed. It's a very bad picture, and it shows that we are in a war zone in local government. 'These killings are complex; in some instances, they occur because of service delivery issues where communities become impatient with municipal workers. They express their anger resulting in municipal workers being at risk and, in many instances, being killed,' he said. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ 'There are political issues as well that lead to municipal workers being killed, but also whistleblowing, which is taking the crown, together with business hijackings. Gangsters walk into a municipality, demand tenders, and insist on being subcontracted. If the municipal workers do not comply, they are at risk of being killed, even from inside the municipal building, because these gangsters come in fully armed. We have seen many instances of that nature. 'There are many factors that expose municipal workers to being attacked and killed. Municipal workers need more protection, and those who work in procurement need protection beyond the workplace. They should be assessed in terms of what their risks are, and measures must be in place to protect municipal workers so that if there are matters of corruption they want to raise, they will feel secure and know that they and their families are safe.' He added that the primary reason why municipal workers are killed is due to the significant amount of money involved in local government. Magagula also said that they will take the matter to the bargaining council to advocate for policies that aim to protect workers. President of South African Local Government Association Bheke Stofile said intervention was needed as the country is fast heading towards being a mafia state. Stofile said they have been speaking about killings in local government, and they even released research used during the Moerane Commission and later updated the statistics. They also spoke about this during parliamentary debates, including various State of the Nation debates. He added that recently, they discussed two concepts: the 'elephant in the room' and the 'invisible hand' that must be dealt with as a country; otherwise, "we are fast gravitating towards a mafia state." KwaZulu-Natal Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs MEC Reverend Thulasizwe Buthelezi recently expressed grave concern over the escalating number of attacks and murders targeting municipal workers across the province.
The Citizen
31-07-2025
- Business
- The Citizen
Labour court grants municipality stay of enforcement
The court noted the municipality had properly anticipated the need for a stay application from the outset of the review proceedings. Ngqushwa Local Municipality has won permission in the Labour Court in Gqeberha to delay paying a fired employee R700 152 while it challenges the order in court. Acting Judge Coen De Kock also approved the cash-strapped municipality's request to provide only R150 000 as security instead of the standard 24-month remuneration requirement. The municipality disagreed with an arbitration ruling that ordered it to rehire employee B Mangesi and pay him R700 152 in backpay. Background of the dispute The case centres on an arbitration award issued by the second respondent, Ntombekhaya Sesani, on 13 May 2025. The award reinstated employee B Mangesi, represented by the South African Municipal Workers' Union (Samwu), effective from 26 May 2025. The municipality was ordered to pay R700 152 in backpay by 23 May 2025. Ngqushwa Local Municipality filed for review of the award on 20 May 2025, well within the prescribed six-week period. The municipality immediately flagged its intention to seek a stay of enforcement and permission to provide reduced security. According to the judgment, the municipality was served with a certified award on 18 June 2025, enabling enforcement proceedings. ALSO READ: Man sentenced to life for murder of KZN ward councillor After filing a security bond of R150 000 on 19 June, the municipality's attorneys requested an undertaking from the employee's legal team that enforcement would not proceed. When the seven-day deadline expired on 30 June without response, the employee's attorney stated the municipality was 'at liberty to approach the court on an urgent basis for appropriate relief.' Court finds application urgent De Kock ruled that the application was genuinely urgent given the timeline of events. The court noted the municipality had properly anticipated the need for a stay application from the outset of the review proceedings. 'The applicant's actions in the way they anticipated the need to ask for a stay and the need to seek an exemption from the security to be furnished in terms of section 145 (8) are commended by this court,' De Kock stated. ALSO READ: Ex-municipal manager linked to Magaqa's killing remains behind bars, ANCYL responds Additionally, the court emphasised that urgency was not self-created by the municipality. De Kock found that urgency arose only when it became clear the employee would pursue enforcement despite the timely review application and provision of security, albeit at a reduced amount. Stay of enforcement granted The court granted the stay application, finding no reason to refuse it given the municipality's compliance with procedural requirements. De Kock noted there was no indication that the review proceedings were brought to frustrate the enforcement of the award. The court accepted that failure to grant the stay would severely prejudice the municipality. Assets could be attached and sold potentially below market value, while the municipality's ability to deliver services to residents would be impacted. 'The applicant will suffer irreparable harm if the enforcement of the award is not stayed,' the judgment stated. ALSO READ: Zuma and MK party case should've started in High Court, ConCourt hears [VIDEOS] The court noted the municipality had conducted a thorough investigation into what security amount it could afford without affecting operations. This distinguished the case from others where litigants arbitrarily decide on security amounts without justification. Reduced security approved De Kock exercised discretion under section 145(7) of the Labour Relations Act to accept the R150 000 security as sufficient. The court found no reason to reject the municipality's determination of what it could afford without interrupting constitutional and statutory obligations to provide municipal services. The judgment referenced section 152(1)(b) of the constitution, which requires municipalities to provide services to communities. The court was satisfied that the municipality has sufficient assets to comply with the award if the review application fails. It made no order as to costs. READ NEXT: Cop and prosecutor get bail in R1.6 million extortion case
The Citizen
04-07-2025
- Business
- The Citizen
uMhlathuze workers' strike suspended pending negotiations
REFUSE collection across the City of uMhlathuze has resumed amid a temporary suspension of the strike by members affiliated to the South African Municipal Workers' Union (Samwu). The temporary halt to the industrial action comes after more than two weeks of striking, bringing service delivery in the city to its knees. ALSO READ: City of uMhlathuze loses bid to stop workers' strike According to Samwu Shonamalanga Regional Secretary Zandile Gumede, the strike is suspended pending negotiations with the municipality, which the union said are set to take place on Tuesday. 'We met with the city management this morning [Friday], and workers are back at work until Tuesday, when we resume where we left off with our negotiations,' said Gumede. This development comes after the city on Thursday failed in its attempt to obtain an interdict against striking workers. Read the full story in the ZO on Monday. Don't have the ZO app? Download it to your Android or Apple device here: HAVE YOUR SAY Like our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter. For news straight to your phone invite us: WhatsApp – 060 784 2695 Instagram – zululand_observer At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
