WHAT was meant to be a peaceful march turned violent and ugly.
This is after allegations that the South African Municipal Workers Union was divided.
The angry municipal workers turned against each other instead of resolving what they all agreed to, mainly the demand for salary increments.
The protest happened on Wednesday, 26 July, in Tshwane.
The bottles were flying after police threw tear gas trying to disperse angry protesters.
They allegedly caused a scene as protesters retaliated by throwing anything they could lay hands on.
Some of the workers could be heard shouting at each other. Specifically, it was all about the leadership battles.
Some protesters were seen drinking alcohol publicly.
There was also rubbish thrown at Madiba Street and set alight by disgruntled workers.
Earlier in the morning, the Sun Team spoke to the union's Acting Regional Secretary, Precious Theledi, who said they were fighting for what is due to them, the outstanding 3.5% salary increase and this year's 5.4% salary increase.
She also said they were raising issues regarding the performance management system that the city is implementing unilaterally.
"The city is not providing tools of trades to workers and raising an issue of mismanagement of funds, raising the issue of grading system in metro police, whereby constables are graded differently," she said.
Theledi said employees of the city from finance, political offices, metro police, waste, electricity and all departments within the city were represented in the protest.
"The city has been ignorant of our issues for some time. This can't go on," she said.
Shop steward Dr Thato Shuping said: "Pending increases are long overdue. Employees are struggling, everything is going up, and the interest rates and the price of food are up. We don't want politics to affect workers as we are uninterested in it."
Another shop steward, Dimakatso Shakung, said: "We want the mayor to understand our sufferings. We are aggrieved and don't earn a lot."
City of Tshwane Mayor Cilliers Brink said the city is not being hostile. We simply have to look at the finances.
The finances are in a terrible state. We have to talk to organised labour to identify issues including potential corruption and mismanagement."
