There are fears about the impact on water services at Buffalo City Metro, Nelson Mandela Metro and some areas in the O.R Tambo District in the Eastern Cape, after dozens of workers at the Amatola Water Board embarked on a wage strike.
The workers have accused management of enforcing an 8% wage increase offer that excludes 2017 where they got 0%.
South African Municipal Workers’ Union (Samwu)’s regional secretary in Amathole, Luthando Juju says, “The fundamental question is, how does the employer go on to implement that without addressing the previous increment. So the workers have downed tools and this is going to affect service delivery.”
“This is going to affect most parts of the Eastern Cape which are not going to receive water services like your Bhisho Legislature and hospitals and clinics, Buffalo City, Nelson Mandela Metro and KSD because those are the areas where Amatola Water is providing services,” adds Juju.
Amatola Water Board CEO, Vuyo Zitumane says they will employ contingency plans.
“The services will not be disrupted. We do have a contingency plan in the event that the employees want to disrupt those services. We do have alternative means we have put in place as part of our mitigation plan.”
