We messed up, De Lille tells council strikers

07 May 2015 - 02:19 By Aphiwe Deklerk

Cape Town mayor Patricia de Lille went on a charm offensive yesterday, apologising to striking council workers for the way they had been treated. She spoke to thousands of members of the South African Municipal Workers Union after they marched through the city centre to council headquarters to deliver a memorandum on the third day of their work stoppage.Tempers flared ahead of the march, with strikers looting informal traders' stalls and clashing with police.De Lille disarmed the angry crowd by telling them the municipality had failed them."We have failed as the city to solve all the problems and I should have intervened earlier too. But today we are drawing the line, today we are walking forward," said De Lille.The striking workers have complained that municipal bosses handle disciplinary processes unfairly, that black employees are discriminated against and that pregnant firefighters lose some of their shift allowances as a result of being moved to office duty.The union has complained that this latter issue amounts to discrimination and pregnant fire fighters deserve to keep all their benefits.De Lille agreed with the union on this point, in a raft of concessions she made yesterday."Female firefighters will get their full allowances while they are pregnant, whether they are fire-fighting or not," De Lille said to loud cheers.The mayor said the city would also create a standard transport allowance for all its employees, as the union had also complained about uneven benefits.She then left with Samwu leaders to formalise her promises in writing.Mike Khumalo, Samwu's regional secretary, could not be reached to comment about the outcome of the meeting, but he told strikers that followingDe Lille's commitments, they should return to their duties today...

There’s never been a more important time to support independent media.

From World War 1 to present-day cosmopolitan South Africa and beyond, the Sunday Times has been a pillar in covering the stories that matter to you.

For just R80 you can become a premium member (digital access) and support a publication that has played an important political and social role in South Africa for over a century of Sundays. You can cancel anytime.

Already subscribed? Sign in below.



Questions or problems? Email helpdesk@timeslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00.