The Congress of the People (COPE) has called on the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) and the Office of the Public Protector to intervene in the tension between the City of Tshwane and striking municipal workers.
Services have been suspended after municipal workers affiliated to the South African Municipal Workers Union (SAMWU) embarked on an unprotected wage strike three weeks ago. COPE spokesperson Dennis Bloem says the situation has put the health of residents at risk.
“Both parties must understand that they are putting the lives of people in danger. COPE calls upon the Human Rights Commission together with the Public Protector to intervene in the interest of the public. These institutions must not sit back and wait until people have died because of the situation that can be avoided,” says Bloem.
Meanwhile, Gauteng SAMWU Secretary Mpho Tladinyane says the numbers released by the City of Tshwane of dismissed SAMWU members are incorrect. This after the City announced that almost 100 SAMWU employees have been dismissed since the strike began last month. SAMWU members are demanding a 5.4 percent salary increase. Tladinyane says the information came about from a matter that was in the Labour Court earlier this week.
“From the information that was declared in court, we have since realised that out of the 97 that they have alleged to have dismissed, not all of them are SAMWU members. Almost half of those particular people or employees belong to the other trade unions. So, we want to dispel this thing that is coming from the City of Tshwane that each and every person who appears to be wearing a red T-shirt and is being seen passing through Tshwane House is a SAMWU member,” says Tladinyane.
