The South African Municipal Workers’ Union (SAMWU) has been closely monitoring the developments at Ray Nkonyeni Municipality following the formal conclusion of an agreement on 31 January 2024. This agreement, reached after months of arduous negotiations and unwavering resolve, represents a hard-fought victory for municipal workers. However, we are deeply concerned by the deliberate delays and attempts to undermine its implementation.

The agreement, which was the result of extensive and often difficult engagements, clearly stipulates the following:

1.   Upgrade of all salaries from Category 4 to Category 5.

2.   Four months’ compensation to be paid in three instalments.

3.   The employer will withdraw the review application, and SAMWU will honour the agreement terms, thereby not pursuing the arbitration award in terms of additional months of compensation for workers.

As SAMWU, we are not merely looking forward to the implementation of this agreement—we demand it’s immediate implementation. The time for excuses and delays is over. Municipal workers have waited long enough for justice, and we will not tolerate any further attempts to deny them their rightful due.

We are, however, deeply disturbed by the recent actions of the Municipal Manager, Mr. Khetha Zulu, who has issued a communication to workers threatening the non-implementation of the agreement. This is not only a blatant disregard for the collective bargaining process but also a direct attack on the dignity and rights of municipal workers.

Let us be clear: SAMWU was born out of the blood and sweat of municipal workers, and we will not stand idly by while their hard-won victories are undermined. We remind Mr. Zulu and the municipality that no amount of intimidation, misinformation, or underhanded tacticswill deter us from fighting for the rights of our members. SAMWU will use every tool at its disposal to ensure that this agreement is implemented in full and that workers receive what they are owed.

We also call on the municipality to immediately cease its attempts to pressure workers into signing individual mandates. Our members are already fully mandated by SAMWU, and any efforts to divide or weaken our collective resolve will be met with unyielding resistance. The unity of our union is our strength, and we will not allow it to be compromised.

The current state of affairs at Ray Nkonyeni Municipality is unacceptable. The political leadership of the municipality must take decisive and immediate action to ensure that the agreement is implemented by 25 February 2024, as agreed by all parties. The lives and livelihoods of municipal workers cannot continue to be held hostage by bureaucratic delays and unethical tactics.

We call on the African National Congress (ANC) in Ray Nkonyeni Municipality to intervene urgently. As the ruling party, the ANC has a responsibility to ensure that the municipality operates with integrity, transparency, and accountability.

The ongoing delays and refusal to implement the agreement not only infringe on the rights of workers but also hinder the municipality’s ability to deliver quality services to the public. The ANC must lead by example and demonstrate the values of justice, fairness, and accountability that the public expects from its leadership.