Samwu heads to court for urgent relief regarding outstanding December salaries for Emfuleni workers

The South African Municipal Workers Union (Samwu) in Gauteng on Friday said it would approach the courts for urgent relief to ensure its members are paid their December salaries before Christmas. 

The Sunday Times reported about 2,000 Emfuleni municipal employees and councillors did not receive their pay cheques on Tuesday after Eskom acted against the council over a R5.3bn debt and attached the municipality’s bank account due to unpaid bills.

“In the interest of ensuring our members are paid for the services they have rendered to the municipality as an employer, the union has taken a decision to approach the courts for urgent relief. This decision is also based on the fact that the attachment of the bank account will result in a collapse of service delivery in the area, as supplies needed will not be procured,” the union said.

Samwu pleaded with Gauteng premier Panyaza Lesufi and public enterprises minister Pravin Gordhan to intervene and ensure the municipal workers are paid

“There is no caring government that will allow workers to be subjected to a black Christmas.

“Workers cannot suffer due to the failure of both Emfuleni and Eskom to reach an agreement. Samwu demands Eskom should uplift the attachment and allow workers to be paid their salaries.

“Apart from subjecting workers to a black Christmas, the nonpayment of salaries will have dire consequences for workers noting that medical aid, retirement funds and insurance will not be paid. Workers will also not be in a position to buy school books for their children,” Samwu said.

Breaking down the municipality’s financial woes, Samwu said it was informed that as of December 14 the municipality owed Eskom R5bn.

Eskom secured two orders against the municipality, with one secured in 2018 for R71m and the second in October 2022 for R1.3bn. The current account between September and November 2022 is R328m.

“The municipality informed Samwu they were still engaging with Eskom, and had proposed a payment plan which states the R328m be paid in the next six months. Eskom demands the R368m be paid immediately before the bank account is released,” Samwu said.

It said the situation faced by Emfuleni municipality is a testament to non-existent relations between the three spheres of government.

“That a state-owned entity is allowed to sabotage another organ of the state leads us to surmise government departments are operating as though South Africa is a federal state. To make matters worse, in 2019 the municipality was placed under administration through Section 139 of the constitution, an intervention which has not delivered any tangible results for residents, workers and service delivery.”

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