Pretoria – The South African Municipal WorkersÂ’ Union (SAMWU) has demanded that the City of Tshwane retract its statement linking it to the shooting and hijacking of an employee.
SAMWU on Monday demanded the “immediate retraction of the statement issued by Mr. Bokaba on behalf of Mr. Mettler and the City”.
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“We further demand that Mr. Bokaba and Mettler publicly apologise to municipal workers, SAMWU, and its members for the unfounded allegations which they have made,” the union said in a statement issued by SAMWU Gauteng Provincial Secretary Mpho Tladinyane.
SAMWU, whose members have embarked on a strike to press for wage hikes, distanced itself from the shooting incident on Saturday.Â
The union said it was devastated following the shooting of an employee and hijacking of a municipal vehicle in Montana on Saturday evening.
SAMWU said it can “confirm that the employee who was shot and subsequently rushed to hospital is a member of the union”.
SAMWU added: “The Union, its leadership, and its members wish the employee a speedy recovery.”
The union said information received, so far, was that on Saturday, employees from the Water and Sanitation were performing their duties when they were harassed by a group of individuals.
“Later that evening, the team leader, who is an employee of the City and a member of SAMWU, was accosted and shot at by individuals who robbed him of the municipal vehicle which he was in,” the union said.
“Following the incident, the City, through its Acting Head of Communication, Marketing and Events, Mr. Selby Bokaba, issued a scathing attack on behalf of the City Manager making serious and unfounded allegations that SAMWU and its members are responsible for this attack.
“Mr. Bokaba proceeded to accuse the Union of having degenerated into thuggery and criminality.
“As SAMWU, we take exception to the accusations made by Mr. Bokaba on behalf of the City and the City Manager, Mr. Johann Mettler.”
The union said the City has “continuously failed” to ensure that employees are provided with a safe and healthy working environment in line with the Occupational Health and Safety Act.
“Currently, there are many areas within the City, which are no-go areas for municipal workers,” said SAMWU.
“Despite our many interactions with the City, there has been no appetite on the part of the City to provide workers with a safe working environment.
“The failure by the City to protect its employees while on duty has resulted in them being vulnerable and exposed.”
