The workers are demanding back payments amounting to R10.3 million dating back to 2016
The Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) remains on high alert for a possible resurgence of a mass strike by members of the South African Municipal Workers Union (Samwu).
On Thursday, at least 10 000 City of Johannesburg employees affiliated with Samwu brought the M1 and M2 highways in Braamfontein and the Johannesburg CBD to a complete standstill.
The workers are demanding back payments amounting to R10.3 million dating back to 2016.
Watch tensions ran high during the protest
Tensions running high… https://t.co/dXlxKQO9h4 pic.twitter.com/w9NJ3gfAtD
— Yusuf Abramjee (@Abramjee) August 22, 2024
Alert
JMPD spokesperson Xolani Fihla said while they managed to defuse Thursday’s protest action, officers will remain on alert in case the protest resumes.
“An agreement was reached for them to disperse, though they have indicated that they will return.”
ALSO READ: M1 and M2 highways blocked by 10 000 protesting Samwu workers [VIDEOS]
“Aggrieved”
Samwu’s deputy regional chairperson in Johannesburg, Lebogang Ndawo explained to The Citizen the reason behind the strike.
“Workers are aggrieved.” He said that in 1995, the city stopped salary progression in preparation for iGoli 2000, a restructuring and privatisation plan for the city.
Though this was only supposed to last a year, it continued, and Ndawo claimed workers have been stuck with entry-level salaries since then.
A five-month Pikitup strike in 2016 led to the government intervening and a politically facilitated agreement was formed.
This was meant to reinstate payment notches and “pay people according to the category of the municipality they are in”, Ndawo said.
“Pay workers fairly”
Ndawo explained that administrative workers in different departments received differing salaries.
In 2018 the city adjusted the salaries of its managerial boards but workers’ salaries were left unchanged.
“We have been patient with this issue. There have been multiple issues they have been trying to resolve,” Ndawo lamented.
He said in July, the city finally adopted documentation in line with being a category 10 municipality. however, it is yet to adjust worker salaries to reflect this.
Ndawo said Samwu doesn’t want the city to become bankrupt, but it must pay workers fairly.
Additional reporting by Nicholas Zaal and Kyle Zeeman
ALSO READ: Samwu strike: Joburg highways reopen as leadership agrees to negotiate
