Download PDFThursday, 11 May 2023, several hundred workers affiliated with the South African Municipal Workers Union (SAMWU) brought traffic on Pixley Isaka ka Seme Street, formerly known as Sauer Street, to a grinding halt as they marched to the Luthuli House, the headquarters of the African National Congress (ANC). This is as municipal workers from across Gauteng were making several demands which were read to the Premier of Gauteng, Panyaza Lesufi, later in the day.
Among the four main demands, the workers want the Gauteng government to revoke the Municipal Systems Act which was amended last year. According to the municipal workers, the Municipal Systems Act infringes on their right to freedom.
More than that, SAMWU alleges that there is corruption taking place in the municipalities. Therefore, the SAMWU marchers were also demanding that the model for funding municipalities should be changed.
According to the union spokesperson, Papikie Mohale, municipal workers are demanding that the Politically Facilitated Agreement (PFA), entered into in 2016, should be fully implemented. The PFA was introduced to force the local government to address unfair wage inequalities between workers in the municipality. Hence the crowd shouted, “PFA, now” as the Premier along with the ANC Secretary General (SG), Fikile Mbalula, came to address them.
SAMWU workers also want an end to coalitions that have seen the City of Johannesburg change mayors four times in the last five months. According to the workers, the system of coalitions hampered the smooth progress of work in the city as different incumbents have different priorities.
Along with SAMWU workers, the City of Johannesburg Metro Bus workers have also complained that they do not have benefits, while one worker from the Johannesburg Road Agency said he is feeling the pinch because his salary is not enough for him to support his family as the cost of living continually rises.
Related to payments, SAMWU SG, Dumisani Magagula said the local government needs to pay workers on time. Addressing hundreds of workers outside the ANC headquarters, Magagula told the crowd that the municipalities “…must stop spending money and wasting money on private companies.” Adding that, “Those companies must get out,” as he tabled the demand to end the privatisation of municipal services. He said that the outsourcing of services made their tenure insecure.
Several workers said that the rising cost of services and goods made life very difficult for them, with marchers also demanding that the municipality reinstate 130 workers who were dismissed under the DA-led regime.
This article was submitted on 15 May 2023. You may republish this article, so long as you credit the authors and Karibu! Online (www.Karibu.org.za), and do not change the text. Please include a link back to the original article.
