Pretoria – The City of Tshwane on Sunday pointed an accusatory finger at the South African Municipal Workers Union (SAMWU) after an employee was shot at and hijacked.
“The unlawful and unprotected strike by employees affiliated to labour union SAMWU has degenerated into thuggery and wanton criminality after an employee was shot and hijacked shortly upon completing a shift on Saturday evening,” the City said.
“A standby team from the Water & Sanitation Section was working in Montana, Region 2, when they were confronted by a group of men who intimidated and instructed them to stop working.
“The team ignored them and continued to render a service. On completion of the shift, while on his way home, the standby team leader was shot and hijacked. He was rushed to hospital.”
The City Manager Johann Mettler has condemned the attack and urged law enforcement to relentlessly pursue the perpetrators of this heinous crime and bring them to book.
“This incident is deplorable, and we plead with law enforcement to find the suspects, lock them up and throw the keys away,” said Mettler.
We will not cower in the face of intimidation by thugs.
If the perpetrators are found to be our employees they will be booted out of the employ of the city,” a livid Mettler said.
“A few SAMWU members have been on an unlawful and unprotected for about three weeks.
“The Labour Court has declared the strike unlawful and unprotected.”
To date, the city has fired 93 employees who have participated in the unlawful strike, which began on 26 July 2023 to press for wage increases.
The City has refused to budge saying there was no money for increases in the current budget.
