Samwu Strike News Today

Workers in Tshwane affiliated to Samwu were in a dispute for six months with the capital city over its refusal increase salaries for the financial year, with its mayor insisting the municipality could not afford it.

Workers affiliated with Samwu (South African Municipal Workers Union) returned to work on Monday after downing tools over three months ago as a result of a wage dispute.

The municipality said the former employee is the South African Municipal Workers Union (Samwu) deputy chairperson in the Tshwane region.

Tshwane Mayor Cilliers Brink says the official was dismissed after video evidence placed him at the scene of the alleged crime.

Tshwane Mayor Cilliers Brink said the municipality had evidence that the vehicle of Samwu’s regional deputy chairperson was used to drop off and pick up people who petrol-bombed a waste truck contracted to the city.

As the protracted municipal strike in the capital continues, Cosatu had planned to hand over a memorandum of demands to Brink last Friday but he said that by the time it arrived, after 1.30 pm that afternoon, he was not available.

In August, the capital city withheld the salaries of 319 of its employees for engaging in what it has called an illegal strike.

The Gauteng Legislature has called on the municipal workers union and the City of Tshwane to submit a mediation process over the ongoing wage increase protest in the capital, but Mayor Ciliers Brink doesnt thinks will fly.

Amidst the ongoing municipal workers strike over wage increase disputes with the metro, there are several cases of infrastructure damage and a halt to municipal services.

City of Tshwane municipal employees have been striking over a 5.4% wage increase dispute for seven weeks, but the city remained adamant that the hike was unaffordable.