Latest news with #SouthAfricanMunicipalWorkers'Union
The Citizen
04-07-2025
- Business
- The Citizen
uMhlathuze workers' strike suspended pending negotiations
REFUSE collection across the City of uMhlathuze has resumed amid a temporary suspension of the strike by members affiliated to the South African Municipal Workers' Union (Samwu). The temporary halt to the industrial action comes after more than two weeks of striking, bringing service delivery in the city to its knees. ALSO READ: City of uMhlathuze loses bid to stop workers' strike According to Samwu Shonamalanga Regional Secretary Zandile Gumede, the strike is suspended pending negotiations with the municipality, which the union said are set to take place on Tuesday. 'We met with the city management this morning [Friday], and workers are back at work until Tuesday, when we resume where we left off with our negotiations,' said Gumede. This development comes after the city on Thursday failed in its attempt to obtain an interdict against striking workers. Read the full story in the ZO on Monday. Don't have the ZO app? Download it to your Android or Apple device here: HAVE YOUR SAY Like our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter. For news straight to your phone invite us: WhatsApp – 060 784 2695 Instagram – zululand_observer At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
![Municipal worker protesters vow to continue marching until demands are met [WATCH]](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.citizen.co.za%2Fnorth-coast-courier%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fsites%2F73%2F2025%2F06%2FKDM-strike6-Medium.jpg&w=3840&q=100)
The Citizen
30-06-2025
- Business
- The Citizen
Municipal worker protesters vow to continue marching until demands are met [WATCH]
Traffic in Ballito was grid-locked for about an hour this morning as striking municipal workers demonstrated, vowing to descend on the town's Nokukhanya Luthuli municipal building daily. Represented by the South African Municipal Workers' Union (Samwu), the group marched from the Ballito Taxi Rank, disrupting mid-morning traffic flow and littering Ballito Drive with anything they could find in a show of frustration over stalled salary upgrades and unresolved labour disputes. At the heart of the protest is the demand for the full implementation of a Grade 5 salary structure, a classification Samwu says has already been approved and budgeted for. 'We demand that the municipality implement the Grade 5 salary scale for all employees. We also call for the completion of job evaluations that began back in 2012,' said the union's local secretary, Nkululeko Dladla. Workers are also calling for consequences over the R35.7-million municipal fraud scandal and the suspension of top officials, who they claim are shielded from accountability. The protest follows similar action in KwaDukuza's CBD in May, and workers say they won't back down this time. Despite the formation of a labour task team, no tangible progress has been made, according to the union, which also criticised the absence of key municipal directors from labour forum meetings. Stay in the loop with The North Coast Courier on Facebook, X, Instagram & YouTube for the latest news. Mobile users can join our WhatsApp Broadcast Service here or if you're on desktop, scan the QR code below. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
The Citizen
20-06-2025
- Politics
- The Citizen
Strike standoff: uMhlathuze talks deadlocked
Negotiations between striking municipal workers and the City of uMhlathuze remain deadlocked, with no agreements yet reached. This as the striking workers, affiliated to the South African Municipal Workers' Union (Samwu) met with municipal leadership on Friday as per their deadline issued after Tuesday's march to the civic centre. ALSO READ: City of uMhlathuze puts temporary measures in place to address waste collection delays Included in the list of grievances were unfair labour practices, citing 'persistent unfair dismissals and a pattern of victimisation against union-affiliated employees; misuse of ratepayers' funds, opposing the use of private attorneys for internal disciplinary matters; gross negligence in workplace safety; noncompliance with employment equity and disability inclusion; exploitation of EPWP employees; lack of danger allowance; inadequate tools of trade, demanding provision of functional computers and a roadworthy fleet; and racism within Electricity and Energy Services, citing an urgent need to address racial inequity, specifically the rehiring of white retired employees as temporary staff'. Discussions are expected to continue with the municipality on Sunday, and on Monday the union has scheduled a general meeting with its members at Ngwelezane Hall to provide feedback and for members to take a decision going forward – to suspend or proceed with the strike. The impact of the strike action is already evident, with waste collection services affected across the city this week. Don't have the ZO app? Download it to your Android or Apple device here: HAVE YOUR SAY Like our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter. For news straight to your phone invite us: WhatsApp – 060 784 2695 Instagram – zululand_observer At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
The Citizen
19-06-2025
- General
- The Citizen
City of uMhlathuze puts temporary measures in place to address waste collection delays
City of uMhlathuze puts temporary measures in place to address waste collection delays This week's strike by municipal employees affiliated to the South African Municipal Workers' Union (Samwu) has disrupted waste collection across the City of uMhlathuze. As an interim measure, residents with valid municipal rates accounts have been encouraged to dispose of their household waste at the King Cetshwayo District Municipality landfill site in Empangeni, opposite the cemetery. ALSO READ: WATCH: Union marchers hand over list of grievances to City of uMhlathuze This service will be free upon presentation of proof of residence. The arrangement is effective from today (Thursday, 19 June) until Monday, 23 June. Landfill site operating hours are 7.30am to 4.30pm. Don't have the ZO app? Download it to your Android or Apple device here: HAVE YOUR SAY Like our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter. For news straight to your phone invite us: WhatsApp – 060 784 2695 Instagram – zululand_observer At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
The Citizen
19-06-2025
- General
- The Citizen
Frustrations mount in Empangeni over recurring water outages
Two burst water pipes on Wednesday left certain Empangeni residents without water for the second time in a week. One of the leaks occurred at the corner of Apollo and Weightman avenues while the second was reported on Bluebuck Street. ALSO READ: City of uMhlathuze puts temporary measures in place to address waste collection delays The corner of Apollo and Weightman avenues has been the site of multiple burst water pipes this year – most notably over the Easter weekend and most recently on Friday last week. The most affected areas this time were the suburb of Panorama, as well as Theunissen, Badenhorst, and parts of President Swart Avenue. Some residents were without water from 12 noon until as late as 1am to 3am. 'Yet again we are sitting without water,' said Panorama resident Lucy Behary. 'We didn't have water on Friday for close to 10 hours, and now on Wednesday, we are without water again. It's not fair. They fix the pipe, and then it breaks again. 'We all pay our municipal bills on time. Why are we suffering like this? What is going on in this town?' ALSO READ: WATCH: Union marchers hand over list of grievances to City of uMhlathuze While the Samwu (South African Municipal Workers' Union) strike caused delays to municipal services, contractors were brought in on this occasion to carry out the repairs. 'They completed repairs around 1.30am, but the problem remains our ageing infrastructure. The municipality needs to budget properly for upgrades—it will save money in the long run,' said Ward 23 Councillor Andre de Lange. 'The crux of the matter is that our infrastructure is ageing,' confirmed Sibusiso Ngcobo, deputy city manager for infrastructure services at the Ward 23 public meeting last week. 'With the DWS [Department of Water and Sanitation], we've developed a business plan to replace our asbestos pipes – the same pipes that keep bursting.' Don't have the ZO app? Download it to your Android or Apple device here: HAVE YOUR SAY Like our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter. For news straight to your phone invite us: WhatsApp – 060 784 2695 Instagram – zululand_observer At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
