Pretoria – The ongoing unprotected strike by members of the South African Municipal Workers Union (SAMWU) has prompted the City of Tshwane to dismiss seven more employees.
The sacking of the seven brings to 100 employees that have been dismissed since the beginning of the strike action three weeks ago.
The strikers were fired for either participating in the unlawful strike or for intimidating their colleagues.
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On Wednesday, the City said it “dismissed seven more employees yesterday, six of whom it considered to be the ‘ring leaders’ behind the chaotic unlawful and unprotected strike”.
The City said six of the fired employees were shop stewards based at the city’s Middestad Building, situated in the CBD, while the seventh worker was based in Region 4 and was dismissed for intimidation.
“The shop stewards, after receiving letters of intention for their dismissal, embarked on a pushback by trashing the corridors of the Middestad Building with litter,” said City Spokesperson Selby Bokaba.
The City spokesperson said more letters of intention to dismiss were being processed.
“The city has intensified the identification of the intimidators, who have now desperately resorted to wearing balaclavas, hats, caps, and shades to disguise their identity,” said Bokaba.
“Yesterday, five employees based in Region 6, traveling in a convoy of five vehicles, drove to the Waltloo Electricity Depot and intimidated workers who were on duty.
“Four of the five employees were successfully identified and confirmed to be members of trade union SAMWU.”
Bokaba said the City has resolved to arrest the intimidators and has encouraged employees who have been intimidated to consider laying criminal charges against their intimidators.
“Tshwane leadership has vowed to continue to clamp down on those that are hellbent on destabilising the institution,” Bokaba said.
Meanwhile, the city’s urgent application to the Labour Court for contempt was dismissed yesterday on the grounds that the matter was not urgent, and not on the merits.
“Yesterday’s ruling has no bearing on the interim interdict granted to the city on 28 July 2023,” explained Bokaba.
“The interdict remains intact.”
Bokaba said the court declared the strike unlawful and unprotected and barred employees from intimidating their fellow colleagues and directed them to refrain from damaging the city’s property and any private or public property.
