Tshwane and SAMWU playing cat and mouse
SAMWU has demanded an apology and retraction from the City of Tshwane as it alleged they are behind the shooting of a municipal worker
The City of Tshwane and the South African Municipal Workers Union (SAMWU) have both avoided taking responsibility and are instead pointing fingers at each other over the shooting and hijacking of a municipal worker over the weekend. SAMWU has also slammed the city for failing to protect its employees.
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On Saturday night, a Water and Sanitation team was harassed and intimidated by a group of individuals while on site and ordered to stop working. The workers however refused to do so and continued working.
IT’S ALL IN A DAYS WORK
While on his way home, the team leader was attacked, shot and hijacked of the municipal vehicle. In a statement, the City blamed the attack on disgruntled municipal workers who have been on an unprotected strike for the past three weeks.
SAMWU has alleged that the City’s remarks are an attempt to gain public sympathy and to turn employees against each other. The union says it has nothing to gain by the attack as the victim was also a member of SAMWU.
The Union says the attack on the municipal workers is nothing new.
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SAMWU demands @CityTshwane of to take responsibility for failing to protect workers, resulting in employee shot and municipal vehicle hijacked. pic.twitter.com/yYCzCn5528
— SAMWU | SA Municipal Workers’ Union (@SAMWUnion) August 14, 2023
“These are conditions which our members and municipal workers in the City of Tshwane are exposed to on a daily basis. We have reported to the City many incidents wherein workers were attacked, assaulted and robbed by criminals while they were on duty”, says Precious Theledi, SAMWU Tshwane Regional Secretary.
SAMWU DEMANDS A RETRACTION
Theledi adds that there are currently certain areas within the metro, which have become no go areas for municipal workers.
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“Despite our many interactions with the City, there has been no appetite on the part of the City to provide workers with a safe working environment” she says.
The Union has demanded a retraction of the statement by the City. They further demand that Selby Mokaba (Head of Communications) and City Manager Johann Mettler issue an apology to municipal workers, SAMWU and its members.