SOUTH African Municipal Workers Union (Samwu) members embarked on a strike on Thursday, 23 March outside the Rustenburg Local Municipality.
They are demanding the immediate payment of a Covid-19 danger allowance.
Samwu chairman in Rustenburg, Bushy Mafora, said the workers have been patient for two years, demanding what is rightfully theirs.
Mafora said they had spoken to the municipality several times and were promised that the money would be paid by the end of February 2023.
He said they gave the municipality until the end of March to pay all the workers.
The workers also wanted the implementation of a proper grading of the municipal workers.
ALSO READ | WATCH: Kasi sinkhole is a ticking time bomb!
Mafora said they demand that by July 2023, workers must get salaries of grade 7 employees.
One of the workers claimed that employees from other municipalities had received their Covid-19 risk allowance.
“It’s only in Rustenburg where workers are taken for granted,” she said.
Another worker said they're frustrated and had lost patience with the municipality.
The municipality's communications manager, Boitumelo Mareume, said the municipality has noted that Samwu had embarked on an unprotected strike.
He said the union did not give any notice to the municipality of its intention to strike, picket, or petition the municipality to lodge any grievance.
“The municipality, therefore, considers the strike illegal, irrational, and provocative,” he said.
“Executive Mayor Sheila Mabale-Huma notes that the acting municipal manager wrote to the leadership of Samwu warning that the strike is unprotected, illegal and that the necessary consequences should follow from the disruptions, inconvenience and damage caused,” Mareume said.
He said that the municipality extends its appreciation to most employees who continued to deliver services away from municipal headquarters.
