By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The City of Tshwane says not all its employees will receive their 13th cheque at the end of November as usual, instead it will be paid over three months
City manager Johann Mettler says this is due to the City’s liquidity challenges, worsened by the ongoing strike action.
The total amount the city has to pay in 13th cheques amounts to R565,16 million.
Municipal workers have been on an illegal strike since the end of July this year, demanding salary increases.
The strike has led to over 100 employees being dismissed.
“The dire current financial constraints, which include a cash flow deficit, declining revenue collection and heightened operational costs due to the ongoing illegal strike, are factors that unfortunately compelled the city to reconsider the payment of the 13th cheque to its employees, which was originally scheduled for processing at the end of November 2023, as has always been the norm, “said Mettler.
The cash-strapped metropolitan municipality also owes utilities Eskom and Rand Water.
The payments will be staggered as follows: employees on Level 1-10 will receive their full 13th cheque at the end of November 2023; employees on Level 11-15 will receive their full 13th cheque at the end of December 2023; and employees on Level 16-22 will receive their full 13th cheque at the end of January 2024.
Labour union IMATU says the move by the municipality to pay all its employees their 13th cheques over three months, cannot be allowed.
“We are also being disheartened and disappointed in the fact that they’ve brought this in the last hour seeing that their bonuses are due be paid next month. We are currently consulting our members to inform them of the employer’s intention not to pay them as it has been agreed. Not to agree with them also but also to reiterate on that so they see this coming and find together litigation on how we will protect members going forward should this be the case come the day of November,” IMATU chairperson in Tshwane, Melita Baloyi said.
The South African Municipal Workers Union (Samwu) said, it’s not going to entertain any consultations as the city repeatedly said it has budgeted for the payments.