SAMWU threatens to bring Gauteng to a standstill if demands are not met

The threats come as Gauteng municipalities continue working around the clock to ensure the province is ready to host the upcoming G20 summit.

The South African Municipal Workers’ Union (SAMWU) is threatening a major labour strike if its demands are not met.

The threats come as Gauteng municipalities continue working around the clock to ensure the province is ready to host the upcoming G20 summit.

The trade union held a media briefing on Friday where it made a call for the Tshwane municipality to reverse a recent council decision to increase the salaries of councillors by five per cent.

The union also wants the reinstatement of 43 municipal workers that were dismissed during the highly charged four-month labour strike in 2023, which almost brought the capital to its knees.

Earlier this year, the labour court ruled in favour of the Tshwane municipality, granting it a deviation from an agreement to increase the salaries of all its employees.

The municipality successfully argued it was under financial strain and implementing the wage hikes would cripple service delivery.

Samwu’s regional chairperson, Lehlonoholo Maphatsoe, says the salary increase for councillors is a slap in the face for the city’s hard-working employees.

“If they do not reverse the 5% salary increase that they resolved upon, in the presence of the provincial chair, there will be no G20 in Gauteng. We will mobilise more than 50 thousand members of SAMWU in Tshwane.” Maphatsoe said.

The G20 summit is scheduled for the 22nd and 23rd of November this year.

While Johannesburg is the official host city, the metro municipalities of Tshwane and Ekurhuleni will also host ancillary events.