City of Tshwane reaches agreement with striking municipal workers

02 August 2019 - 07:41 By IAVAN PIJOOS
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The city was rocked by protests this week when municipal workers went on strike, demanding 18% salary increases.
The city was rocked by protests this week when municipal workers went on strike, demanding 18% salary increases.
Image: @Shange033 on Twitter

The South African Municipal Workers' Union (Samwu), Independent Municipal and Allied Trade Union (Imatu) and the City of Tshwane have reached a settlement agreement after a chaotic strike in the country's administrative capital.

The agreement comes after three days of protests by municipal workers, who demanded 18% salary hikes, backdated to 2017.

Up to 40 buses, "taken without permission" from a depot, were used to blockade roads in the CBD, causing gridlock.

While the city was strewn with rubbish, its manager, Moeketsi Mosola, was placed on special leave.

An agreement was reached after negotiations on Thursday.

Samwu said the city "stayed true to their commitment and an agreement has been reached for an amicable solution to the current impasse".

The agreement stated that the city would give once-off payments to workers as an "equalisation allowance". 

  • Workers who earned less than R20,000 a month would get a once-off payment of R15,000.
  • Workers who earned R20,000 to R30,000 a month would get a once-off payment of R10,000.
  • Workers who earned more than R30,000 a month would get a once-off payment of R7,000.

The union's general secretary, Koena Ramotlou, said a "dedicated task team" would conduct a bench-marking exercise on the pay scale of other metro municipalities.

"The 18% salary increase that has been implemented for the group and divisional heads will be dismantled with immediate effect.  

"As Samwu, our aim is to make considerable strides that ensure that we protect the interest of our members and improve their conditions of service. The struggle of workers remains our struggle," Ramotlou said.


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