The City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality has served seven employees working at its bus services department with letters of its intention to dismiss them on allegations of intimidating non striking workers.
Over the weekend, the municipality announced that its bus operations will resume after services were halted due to the ongoing unprotected strike that has disrupted service delivery.
“The seven employees, dubbed the strike ‘instigators’, five of whom were SAMWU shop stewards, are accused of preventing the buses from being prepared for operations which were expected to resume on Tuesday morning.
“They allegedly intimidated their non-striking colleagues at the C De Wet Depot in the Pretoria CBD,” said Tshwane spokesperson, Selby Bokaba.
“Twelve TBS drivers pitched up for duty this morning, four called in claiming to be sick, and only two buses went out for the 4.30am shift, but there were no commuters at the bus stations, and the buses returned to the depot. The seven instigators have been given 24 hours within which to make representations as to why they shouldn’t be permanently dismissed,” he added.
The City said it has deployed the Tshwane Metro Police Department (TMPD) in various spots to help minimise any potential safety risks.
The metro has previously indicated that 123 employees have been dismissed and it will continue to implement a “no work, no pay, principle” on the strikers.
The city has lost a bid at South African Local Government Bargaining Council (SALGBC) for the to be exempted from implementing the salary increases.
In 2021, parties in the SALGBC had wage collective agreement which would have seen municipal workers in the country’s 257 municipalities receive a 3.5%, 4.9% and 5.4% salary and wage increases in 2021, 2022 and 2023 respectively.
But the City of Tshwane didn’t make provisions for workers salary increment during the adjustment budget this year saying there was no money to pay salary hikes
This angered workers who are mostly affiliated to the South African Municipal Workers Union( Samwu) who embarked on an unprotected strike.
The City of Tshwane said it was disappointed and has indicated it will be filing a review application.
“This ruling clearly provides grounds for review. The city will immediately begin the requisite work to approach the Labour Court on an urgent basis,” it said in a statement.
