Action SA leader Herman Mashaba has told DA chairperson Helen Zille “not to antagonise” the workforce in the City of Johannesburg, but rather to approach them as an important stakeholder.
“We see it as an opportunity to bring an important stakeholder to the table to work with government in delivering more and better services for our residents,” said Mashaba.
His comments follow an unsuccessful court bid by the DA to interdict the R10bn wage agreement concluded between the municipality and unions, also known as the politically facilitated agreement (PFA).
Action SA has conceded that they are on the same page as their political nemesis, sharing their stance that the agreement is unaffordable for a city that is already failing to meet its service delivery obligations, and scepticism about the ANC’s sudden action right before an election.
However, Mashaba told Zille that it was regrettable that her party’s court challenge focused on scrapping the entire agreement and erasing the city’s legal obligations instead of the unaffordability of the PFA.
“As it happens, the court found against your application, noting that the DA did not challenge this PFA in 2024 but has instead chosen to do so now, during an election campaign.”
Mashaba explained that the PFA arose from a CCMA-mediated settlement concluded in 2016 after labour disputes and strikes, and is part of a legally binding collective agreement framework under the Labour Relations Act.
“It arises from the failure of the city to implement this agreement, resulting in a contingent liability that has accrued over many years to municipal workers, the answer to which cannot be to pretend it does not exist.”
Mashaba and Zille are both representing their parties in the local government elections, and vying for the position of the city’s top job.
The Action SA leader said he felt it was important for him to school his opponent on the dynamics of the city she is campaigning to possibly lead.
“It is highly appropriate at this time that I offer you basic tutelage about the city of Joburg, given that we have potholes in this city that have been around longer than you have [sic]. It is evident that you have no understanding of the important but fragile relationship between this city and organised labour.”
Mashaba said he was not surprised at the DA’s stance, reflecting on a similar attitude in the capital city affecting workers and their wage deals.
“This would not be the first time your party has adopted a political posture on labour matters in order to campaign, which backfired and cost residents billions. In Tshwane, consecutive DA mayors refused to implement the collective bargaining wage agreements concluded between the city and municipal workers. Your party called the workers criminals and campaigned on a ‘tough guy’ stance despite residents going weeks without municipal services.”
The Tshwane matter resulted in a labour court order against the city, which stipulated a payment of the accrued R2bn owed to worker — an exercise which Mashaba says “nearly bankrupted the city, an expensive exercise in political theatre indeed”.
Mashaba told Zille that these are the repercussions of “politicking on legally-binding agreements”, accusing Zille of “using unions to drive a Margaret Thatcher-style campaign”, as misguided.
“Your party’s mistakes cost residents dearly in the city of Tshwane, and you appear determined to repeat this for the residents of Joburg.
“We are in agreement that the ANC is using this PFA to buy support from workers whom they have abused for years in a bid to remain relevant in Joburg. However, the absurdity of their position cannot be mirrored, on the other extreme, by your equally reckless posture that the city must ignore legal agreements that carry serious ramifications.”
Mashaba said the more than 30,000 municipal workers in Joburg were not tools for the ANC or the DA to use for political gain, but allies in driving a more stable and effective service delivery reality for residents.
TimesLIVE
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