SAMWU DEMANDS IMMEDIATE COMPLIANCE WITH SAFETY REGULATIONS FOLLOWING DEATH OF MUNICIPAL WORKERS
11 February 2025
SAMWU DEMANDS IMMEDIATE COMPLIANCE WITH SAFETY REGULATIONS FOLLOWING DEATH OF MUNICIPAL WORKERS
The South African Municipal Workers’ Union (SAMWU) is deeply saddened and outraged by the tragic and entirely preventable deaths of two municipal workers from Tswaing Local Municipality in North West Province on 6 February 2025. These workers lost their lives while attempting to unblock a drainage system, a task they undertook without the necessary safety equipment. This devastating incident is yet another stark reminder of the dire consequences of neglecting worker safety and failing to provide adequate protection for those who serve our communities.
We condemn, in the strongest terms, the municipality’s failure to ensure a safe working environment for its employees. The loss of these workers’ lives is not just a tragedy—it is a clear indictment of systemic negligence and a blatant disregard for worker safety. This is unacceptable and cannot be tolerated. For years, SAMWU has engaged municipalities on the urgent need to prioritise worker safety by providing proper Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), enforcing strict safety protocols, and ensuring proper training for high-risk tasks.
Yet, despite countless warnings, we continue to see municipalities treat worker safety as an afterthought, resulting in avoidable deaths. We do not need to remind municipalities that as per the Occupational Health and Safety Act, employers are legally supposed to ensure the health and safety of employees in the workplace. For us, the health and safety of workers is not negotiable and cannot be compromised.
As SAMWU, we demand immediate and decisive action. All municipalities across the North West province—must take urgent steps to prioritise worker safety. Proper PPE must be provided without delay, and safety protocols must be implemented and enforced. No worker should ever be forced to gamble with their life just to earn a living. The well-being of workers must be non-negotiable.
We now issue a bold and unequivocal warning: if the safety of workers is not guaranteed, SAMWU will not hesitate to advocate for workers to withdraw their labour. We refuse to stand by while municipalities continue to place workers in life-threatening conditions. The time for empty promises and half-hearted measures is over. Municipalities must act now to prevent further loss of life—or face the full weight of worker resistance.
Furthermore, SAMWU demands a full and transparent investigation into this tragedy. Those responsible for failing to protect these workers must be held accountable. We call on the Department of Employment and Labour to intervene immediately and ensure that all municipalities comply with occupational health and safety regulations. Enough is enough. We will not allow these deaths to go unanswered.
To the families, friends, and colleagues of the deceased workers, our hearts go out to you. Your loss is immeasurable, and your grief is shared by an entire workforce that faces the same risks daily. As a Union, SAMWU, we will fight relentlessly to ensure that such a tragedy never happens again. Workers’ lives matter, and we will not rest until their safety is secured by all municipalities.
Issued by SAMWU North West Province
Vincent Diphoko
Provincial Secretary
083 580 8815
Or
Papikie Mohale
National Media Officer
076 795 8670