THE South African Municipal Workers’ Union (Samwu) said on Thursday its members on strike at Pikitup, the City of Johannesburg’s waste management entity, would probably carefully weigh the risk of not returning to work despite an ultimatum.
Samwu deputy regional secretary Paul Tlhabang said members had "calculated the risk" of returning to work under current management.
He said the union would soon deliver consolidated allegations of corruption against Pikitup’s MD to the city and the South African Police Service (SAPS).
Samwu has staunchly maintained allegations of wrongdoing by Pikitup management, despite MD Amanda Nair being cleared of charges of impropriety relating to a R263m tender in 2015.
Councillor Matshidiso Mfikoe, a member of the mayoral committee for environment and infrastructure services, said on Thursday that those on an unprotected stoppage must report for work by midday on Thursday or face summary dismissal.
This ultimatum was delivered via numerous channels on Wednesday, but processes following such notice of dismissal would give workers an opportunity to prove they had not been sufficiently informed.
The centre of Johannesburg was brought to a standstill by the strike on Wednesday as Samwu presses demands that salary disparities in the entity be addressed.
The union says some members earn less than others within Pikitup despite doing substantially the same work. The demand for R10,000 is based on what some workers are paid in other city entities.
Ms Mfikoe said Samwu’s latest unprotected strike at Pikitup is the third since a deal was struck late last year to address grievances over alleged salary disparities.
In December the then Gauteng MEC for human settlements‚ co-operative governance and traditional affairs‚ Jacob Mamabolo, helped facilitate a political agreement to address grievances over salary disparities.
The current strike was a "complete violation of the letter and spirit" of that agreement, Ms Mfikoe said.
Mr Tlhabang dismissed this on Thursday, saying the City and Pikitup had violated the agreement by consistently shifting the goal posts.
A city-wide benchmarking exercise was meant to prioritise Pikitup employees and conclude its first phase in January. This became February, and now it was March, he said.
"They are still not committing … it is unfortunate that they are pressuring workers when they should be pressuring themselves to implement what they promised (in December)," he said.
Ms Mfikoe said the city had upheld its side of the agreement, meeting weekly and sometimes daily to further its implementation.
She said due process around the allegations against Ms Nair had been followed and until further substantial evidence was brought forward, Ms Nair would remain in her position.
Mr Tlhabang said a "consolidated dossier" had been submitted to the SAPS, and a second would soon be submitted to the city.
"We expect them to act," he said.
Pikitup workers. Picture: FREDDY MAVUNDA
THE South African Municipal Workers’ Union (Samwu) said on Thursday its members on strike at Pikitup, the City of Johannesburg’s waste management entity, would probably carefully weigh the risk of not returning to work despite an ultimatum.
Samwu deputy regional secretary Paul Tlhabang said members had "calculated the risk" of returning to work under current management.
He said the union would soon deliver consolidated allegations of corruption against Pikitup’s MD to the city and the South African Police Service (SAPS).
Samwu has staunchly maintained allegations of wrongdoing by Pikitup management, despite MD Amanda Nair being cleared of charges of impropriety relating to a R263m tender in 2015.
Councillor Matshidiso Mfikoe, a member of the mayoral committee for environment and infrastructure services, said on Thursday that those on an unprotected stoppage must report for work by midday on Thursday or face summary dismissal.
This ultimatum was delivered via numerous channels on Wednesday, but processes following such notice of dismissal would give workers an opportunity to prove they had not been sufficiently informed.
The centre of Johannesburg was brought to a standstill by the strike on Wednesday as Samwu presses demands that salary disparities in the entity be addressed.
The union says some members earn less than others within Pikitup despite doing substantially the same work. The demand for R10,000 is based on what some workers are paid in other city entities.
Ms Mfikoe said Samwu’s latest unprotected strike at Pikitup is the third since a deal was struck late last year to address grievances over alleged salary disparities.
In December the then Gauteng MEC for human settlements‚ co-operative governance and traditional affairs‚ Jacob Mamabolo, helped facilitate a political agreement to address grievances over salary disparities.
The current strike was a "complete violation of the letter and spirit" of that agreement, Ms Mfikoe said.
Mr Tlhabang dismissed this on Thursday, saying the City and Pikitup had violated the agreement by consistently shifting the goal posts.
A city-wide benchmarking exercise was meant to prioritise Pikitup employees and conclude its first phase in January. This became February, and now it was March, he said.
"They are still not committing … it is unfortunate that they are pressuring workers when they should be pressuring themselves to implement what they promised (in December)," he said.
Ms Mfikoe said the city had upheld its side of the agreement, meeting weekly and sometimes daily to further its implementation.
She said due process around the allegations against Ms Nair had been followed and until further substantial evidence was brought forward, Ms Nair would remain in her position.
Mr Tlhabang said a "consolidated dossier" had been submitted to the SAPS, and a second would soon be submitted to the city.
"We expect them to act," he said.
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