SAMWU in Tshwane calls on political parties to put residents and workers first.

09 November 2021

SAMWU in Tshwane calls on political parties to put residents and workers first.

The South African Municipal Workers’ Union (SAMWU) has noted the outcome of the 01 November 2021 elections which were subsequently certified on 04 November 2021 by the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC). Like in 2016, no political party got more than 50% and therefore the City of Tshwane will be run by a coalition government.

Our experience as SAMWU during the last term was that our coalition was characterized by the following;

• Instability in the administration
• Collapsed Council meetings that led to the City placed under administration
• Changing of Mayors
• Political parties communicating mixed messages

As we move towards a new coalition government, SAMWU would want to appeal to all 15 Political parties that they must look beyond party positions and consider the residents of Tshwane first. We cannot afford to have instability as experienced in the last two years, this stability has resulted in the lapse in service delivery and frustration of workers.

We welcome the new Council, and also want to make known that the City’s employees are readily available to ensure that revenue collection is enhanced and that communities are serviced optimally. In welcoming the new Council, we urge them to prioritize the appointment of a City Manager and the Chief of Emergency Services.

More importantly for us, we want the new Council to take a decision on implementing the recently signed salary and wage increases as agreed in the SALGBC. Doing so will create labour stability in the City. Municipal workers are frustrated and losing patience with the employer as a result of the failure to pay their salary and wage increases and the Benchmarking agreement.

Residents of the City of Tshwane resolved through their vote to mandate all political parties to provide leadership in resolving challenges facing various communities and so it should be. Political parties should therefore put the interests of the residents and workers first.

Issued by SAMWU Tshwane

Mpho Tladinyane
083 941 5888

Or

Valentine Matlala
Deputy Regional Secretary
084 465 5598