The City of Tshwane said the ongoing strike action by employees affiliated to labour union, the SA Municipal Workers Union (Samwu) has degenerated into “thuggery and wanton criminality” after an employee was shot and hijacked shortly upon completing a shift.
Tshwane spokesperson, Selby Bokaba said the horrific incident happened on Saturday evening.
“The unlawful and unprotected strike by employees affiliated to labour union Samwu has degenerated into thuggery and wanton criminality after an employee was shot and hijacked shortly upon completing a shift on Saturday evening,” said Bokaba.
“A standby team from the Water and Sanitation Section was working in Montana, Region 2, when they were confronted by a group of men who intimidated and instructed them to stop working,” he said.
The Tshwane team ignored the group and continued to render a service.
“On completion of the shift, while on his way home, the standby team leader was shot and hijacked. He was rushed to hospital,” said Bokaba.
City manager, Johann Mettler has condemned the attack and urged law enforcement to “relentlessly” pursue the perpetrators of the heinous crime.
“This incident is deplorable, and we plead with law enforcement to find the suspects, lock them up and throw the keys away. We will not cower in the face of intimidation by thugs. If the perpetrators are found to be our employees, they will be booted out of the employ of the city,” said Mettler.
City of Tshwane said “a few” Samwu members have been on an unlawful and unprotected for about three weeks.
The Labour Court has declared the strike unlawful and unprotected.
To date, Tshwane has fired at least 93 employees who have participated in the strike.
On Friday, the city issued the “final ultimatum” to employees who are participating in the unlawful and unprotected strike action to return to work, failing which they will be dismissed.
“The city hopes that the employees will heed the ultimatum and return to work immediately,” said Bokaba.
Last week, Pretoria News reported that the Democratic Alliance in Tshwane has called out Samwu, urging it to take “immediate and decisive” action against striking municipal employees.
Workers affiliated to Samwu have been engaged in a series of protests since last month, demanding a 5.4% wage increase.
The strike, declared illegal and unprotected, had hampered the metro’s service delivery efforts, with residents being denied access to medical facilities, electricity and water, while waste had been left uncollected.
In a move seen to be supporting mayor Cilliers Brink, the DA said the union’s lack of action was “deeply concerning”.
Samwu has denied it had sanctioned the continuous strike action.
IOL