The KwaZulu-Natal Premier Nomusa Dube-Ncube has assured the business community in eThekwini that the provincial government is dealing accordingly with the strike by eThekwini Municipality workers.

READ | eThekwini Municipality obtains court interdict against striking workers

Dube-Ncube and eThekwini Mayor Mxolisi Kaunda met with the business community, led by the KZN Growth Coalition, the Durban Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and individual businesses to brief them on government’s interventions to deal with the strike which started on 27 February 2024.

The meeting comes after a meeting held between the provincial government and the municipality to devise practical solutions to protect infrastructure and citizens from what the province has called ‘clear sabotage’.

Highlighting the progress made to deal with the situation, Dube-Ncube said a technical task team, including officials from all spheres of government, has been established to implement coordinated interventions by the relevant departments.

To
address the challenge of intimidation and attacks on non-striking workers, Dube-Ncube said the Metro Police and private security have been sourced to escort staff to service delivery points, including the clearing of roads, electricity faults, water leaks, burst pipes and refuse removal.

‘Both the municipal and provincial law enforcement agencies are on high alert and will act without any fear on the acts of impunity. We are confident that this intervention will allow staff to respond to reservoirs overflowing or running empty, valves being closed, burst pipes and water leaks.

‘As part of the business continuity plan, the municipality has made provision for some key employees to work remotely. Contractors have also been engaged to do some work, such as refuse collection and attending to water and electricity faults,’ Dube-Ncube said.

A team has also been set up to analyse all video footage of the destruction of property, including the abuse of State vehicles that were in the hands of municipality officials
who participated in the illegal strike.

The Premier said this process is well underway, warning that ‘culprits are being identified through internal processes and they will be arrested soon’.

She said the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) has provided a four-person team to fast-track the disciplinary action of those who would be found to have been involved in untoward behaviour.

‘The eThekwini leadership will meet with the leadership of the South African Municipal Workers’ Union (SAMWU) to explain to them that no amount of grievances should result in destruction of infrastructure and denying citizens their rights to basic services.

‘Importantly, those who are involved in this anarchy will be liable for litigation for damages. Our legal units have been tasked to analyse that area,’ Dube-Ncube said.

The municipality has further engaged the Department of Water and Sanitation, COGTA and Umgeni-Uthukela Water to provide technical assistance and additional water tankers.

Thr
ough Operation Sukuma Sakhe, the Premier said all field workers have been activated in the province to conduct clean-up operations throughout the city, as part of Operation Mbo (an integrated service delivery events within a particular area to ensure services are delivered to many community members at the same time).

On the strike, Dube-Ncube said the municipality has not received a memorandum of grievances or petition from SAMWU, apart from the Ekurhuleni Municipality pay scale, which was submitted to the Office of the City Manager on 27 February 2024.

‘Based on the information submitted, it would seem that SAMWU is demanding pay parity to that of Ekurhuleni Municipality and/or implementation of Category 10 pay scales. The matter regarding the implementation of the Wage Curve is still under negotiation at national level, as it is a national competence,” Dube-Ncube said.

The municipality has since obtained an urgent interdict in the Labour Court, which prohibits the striking employees from intimidating, h
arassing, assaulting, threatening or perpetuating acts of violence against employees, service providers or those accessing offices or workstations.

‘We want to emphasise that all spheres of government are working together to resolve this challenge and we are in discussion with the national government to support the city and province through the provision of intelligence services and deployment of additional police officers in key hotspots to enhance safety and security capacity,’ Dube-Ncube said.

Source: South African Government News Agency