SAMWU SCORES VICTORY FOR IMPENDLE MUNICIPAL WORKERS OVER UNPAID SALARIES
27 OCTOBER 2026
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SAMWU SCORES VICTORY FOR IMPENDLE MUNICIPAL WORKERS OVER UNPAID SALARIES
The South African Municipal Workers’ Union (SAMWU) in KwaZulu-Natal is partially relieved by the vindication of workers’ rights, following the judgment handed down by Bond AJ in SAMWU v Impendle Local Municipality concerning unpaid salaries. Today’s final order confirmed the rule nisi that had initially been issued temporarily by Zwane AJ on 27 February 2026.
The Impendle Local Municipality has been directed to pay SAMWU members’ salaries for the five (5) months owed within ten (10) days. In addition, the Municipality must make all statutory third-party payments within fourteen (14) days of the granting of this order. The court further directed the Municipality to comply with its obligations under Sections 32 and 34A of the Basic Conditions of Employment Act, 75 of 1997 (as amended). Having failed to meet these obligations, the Municipality has lost the case with costs.
Impendle Local Municipality had ample time to apply corrective measures to redress the plight of its workers and stabilize the institution. Instead, it chose to fight against its own employees. The Municipality appeared before the Pietermaritzburg High Court to defend its inhumane and indefensible conduct — a conduct that subjected workers to poverty and devastating personal losses.
As a result of unpaid salaries, Impendle workers lost houses, vehicles, and good credit records. Their SARS contributions, medical aid schemes, pension fund contributions, UIF, investments, and funeral policies were disrupted. Many were unable to pay their creditors, plunging families into hardship. Yet, throughout this crisis, it has been business as usual for the Municipal leadership, KwaZulu-Natal COGTA, and the Office of the Premier. Their failure to intervene compounded the suffering of workers and deepened the erosion of trust in governance.
The artificial provincial intervention through Section 139(b) was undertaken only at the insistence of the National Treasury. The KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government was never willing to intervene. This explains why the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial COGTA MEC, Reverend Thulasizwe Buthelezi, could go public and falsely claim that he had resolved the issue of unpaid salaries at Impendle.
As SAMWU, we dare the administration not to comply with this order. Should they fail, we will take the fight directly to their doorstep, at a scale they have never witnessed. We shall do whatever is necessary to defend not only the rights of SAMWU members, but the rights of workers in general.
SAMWU is vindicated in its mission to protect the rights of municipal workers. We warned the Municipality that workers shall never be made to bear the brunt of maladministration and corruption in local government. We refuse to accept that workers become the first casualties of dire consequences not of their own making.
We therefore call upon the Premier of KwaZulu-Natal, since Reverend Thulasizwe Buthelezi has failed, to apply consequence management in Impendle Municipality. Accountability must be enforced, and those responsible for subjecting workers to poverty and hardship must face the full weight of the law.
This victory is not only for Impendle workers, but for all municipal workers across South Africa. SAMWU will continue to fight corruption, maladministration, and injustice wherever they occur.
END.
Issued by: SAMWU KZN
For inquiries
Nokubonga Dinga,
Provincial Secretary
(065 871 8434)
or
Zethu Fakude,
Provincial Deputy Secretary
(063 509 2924)