WORKERS have given eThekwini Municipality until the end of the week to reverse the promotion of Umkhonto weSizwe veterans.
The workers told Daily Sun yesterday the municipality last week upgraded the salaries of four MK veterans from grade four to grade 10.
It is believed that as a result of the upgrade, the salaries of the MK veterans in the water and sanitation section will be increased from R6 000 to R20 000 a month each.
South African Municipal Workers Union provincial secretary Jaycee Ncanana called for an urgent meeting with management. He said the union was not consulted.
“We need an explanation from the municipality because we view this as unfair labour practice. Workers are workers, whether you are former soldiers or from poor families. They all deserve the same treatment,” he said.
He said the union expected the municipality to correct this by this week.
“If they don’t do this we will bring the municipality to a standstill,” Ncanana said.
MK Military Veterans Association provincial chairman Themba Mavundla said the pay hike was a good thing.
He said people did not appreciate how the former soldiers had sacrificed their lives fighting for the freedom they enjoyed today.
The municipality had not commented at the time of going to print.
