By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The City of Tshwane has been granted a permanent interdict against striking workers by the Labour Court in Johannesburg.
The interdict was granted by the Labour Court on Friday.
The City approached the Labour Court on an urgent basis following an unlawful and unprotected protest.
This week, the situation escalated with the alarming incident of four municipal vehicles being set on fire.
The move is a latest attempt by the municipality to stop the 7-week long unprotected strike that has crippled service delivery in the metro since July.
On July 28, the court granted an interim interdict, declaring the strike unlawful and unprotected. Today’s decision makes the order permanent.
Workers affiliated with the South African Municipal Workers Union (Samwu) are demanding a 5.4% salary increase dating back from 2021 collective bargaining agreement.
Their call has been backed by die Bargaining Council, who has ordered the city to pay the workers their salary hike.
The city is in the process of appealing the ruling.
City Manager Johann Mettler has called on workers to return to work.
“It is important to note that the court restricts employees from participating in the unlawful strike action and performing any acts in continuance or furtherance thereof.
“In addition, this permanent interdict confirms that strikers are restrained from performing any acts of destruction of any private or public property, or from performing acts of intimidation towards any of the city’s employees.”
Meanwhile the Democratic Alliance (DA) Tshwane Caucus rejected calls for a “political solution” to address the ongoing illegal strikes that have plagued the capital city.
In a statement the party said, “The violence, chaos, and destructive nature of these strikes reinforce what we have been emphasising for weeks – this is not a labour dispute; it’s organised criminality.”
Tshwane is at war, not against workers, but against criminals and special interest groups.”
“The situation is further exacerbated by the ANC and EFF, who are attempting to exploit this situation as a pretext for the provincial government to take control of our city. We strongly believe that, instead, the Provincial Government should promptly collaborate with SAPS and local government to put an end to this criminal activity, added the DA Caucus.