By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Photo Credit: Nigel Sibanda.
Striking municipal workers in the City of Tshwane have been accused of torching two municipal vehicles in Pretoria West today.
The vehicles were torched outside the Princess Park Depot along Nana Sita Charlotte Maxeke and Es’kia Mphahlele streets.
The latest incident comes as the city struggles to find a solution to the unprotected strike by workers affiliated with the South African Municipal Workers Union (Samwu).
The seven-week-long labour dispute is linked to a dispute over salary increases.
Municipal spokesperson Selby Bokaba confirmed the torching of two of the city’s vehicles.
Bokaba said, they were torched outside the Princess Park Depot along Nana Sita (westbound), Charlotte Maxeke and Es’kia Mphahlele streets.
“He said the water truck that belonged to the city had just drawn water from the depot for delivery at some Region 4 informal settlements when it was set alight.
“The driver was physically assaulted and managed to escape. Fortunately, he didn’t sustain serious injuries,” he said.
The bakkie, that was also torched at the same precinct as the truck, belongs to the city’s asset protection monitoring unit.
“Two members were injured and taken to hospital. The members are responsible for the protection of the city’s assets such as the depots and substations. At the time of their ambush they were busy monitoring the depots,” Bokaba said.
Bokaba added that the striking employees were allegedly behind the attacks.
The incident came after two refuse trucks were recently set alight, allegedly by striking workers while a municipal employee was attacked after reporting for duty.
The strike has led to an interruption in the delivery of services in the city, including electricity outage repairs, water restoration, and refuse removal.
The South African Local Government Bargaining Council has dismissed the city’s application to exempt it from paying salary increases for the 2023/24 financial year.
The city now plans to take the matter on review at the labour court.
On Tuesday, Bokaba said seven employees at Tshwane Bus Services (TBS) were served with intended letters of dismissal for supporting the strike action declared unlawful and unprotected by the Labour Court.
The City has, to date, fired 123 employees and Bokaba said more dismissals were in the pipeline against employees defying the interim court interdict.