Tebogo Msimanga |
The South African Municipal Workers Union (SAMWU), in the Tshwane Region, says it noted with concern the current closure of municipal offices by the community of Bronkhorstspruit (erstwhile Kungwini Local Municipality) in Region 7 and the failure of the City of Tshwane to address the said situation.
SAMWU Provincial Secretary Mpho Tladinyane said it is becoming a common occurrence that when the community has issues with the City of Tshwane, they visit and close the municipal office. “ Workers are forcefully ejected from their offices and denied access to such offices. What is a major concern to SAMWU is that some of these protesters are carrying weapons including guns”.
Tladinyane added that the lives of municipal employees are now at risk and some had to be treated for the trauma they suffered as a result of these abrupt sieges of municipal offices.
The said situation has negatively affected the delivery of services noting that workers have not been able to respond to service delivery challenges such as electricity outages, filling of potholes and water leakages.
Tladinyane further said the current situation in Bronkhorspruit should be used as a litmus test the gauge the seriousness of the City’s administration to deliver services to all residents of the City irrespective of their backgrounds, more importantly, this should serve as a gauge of how the administration values the lives and security of municipal workers.
