Pretoria – The City of Tshwane on Thursday issued 41 letters of intention to dismiss striking employees affiliated with the SA Municipal Workers’ Union (SAMWU).
The City said it will also approach the Labour Court on an urgent basis for contempt of court.
At least 15 employees have been arrested so far and charged with public violence and are facing internal charges as well, the City said.
City employees affiliated with SAMWU are striking to press for wage hikes, which Mayor Cilliers Brink insists Tshwane can not afford.
SAMWU is demanding salary increases of between 3.5 and 5.4%.
Last Friday, (28 July 2023), the Labour Court granted the City an interim interdict which declared the strike action unlawful and unprotected and ordered the striking employees to disperse.
It further restrained them from participating in the unlawful strike/unprotected strike action and performing any acts in continuance or furtherance thereof.
Furthermore, the striking workers were interdicted and restrained from performing any acts of destruction of the City of Tshwane’s property and any private or public property, or from performing acts of intimidation of employees.
The
letters of intention to dismiss were sent after the city manager issued multiple ultimatums to the striking employees to return to work and to desist from intimidating their non-striking colleagues.
In a statement, the City said: “The striking employees have disregarded the court order and therefore are guilty of contempt of court.
“Hence the city has resolved to approach the Labour Court again today for the enforcement of the interim interdict, which will empower the police to arrest the striking employees and the Samwu leadership.
”Residents of Tshwane cannot be held to ransom by the striking employees who continue to prevent their colleagues from performing the duties for which they get paid.
“Majority of the employees report for duty, but are being prevented, intimidated and victimised by their striking colleagues from executing their duties.”
The City said it has put in place recovery plans to address the backlog resulting from the illegal strike action.
“Turnaround times for attending to interruptions will be delayed due to intimidation of employees.”
