Samwu’s leadership in legal wrangle

The SA Municipal Workers’ internal squabbles are now playing out in the Mthatha high court as national bosses ask the court to set aside a meeting that recalled shop stewards in Mthatha in April.

Samwu national general secretary Simon Mathe has deposed an affidavit on behalf of the national executive as well as the local branch in King Sabata Dalindyebo (KSD).

In it, he asks the court to interdict the provincial leadership from having “unlawful gatherings” in KSD.

KSD municipality and the Samwu provincial structure have been cited as respondents.

In his court papers, Mathe is asking the court to interdict the province from “unlawfully conducting meetings in the name of [Samwu]” at the municipality’s premises.

They are asking that the April 17 decision that was made to recall KSD local shop stewards be declared unlawful and set aside.

They are also asking the court to declare the meetings held on May 8 and 10 which elected new shop stewards unlawful and set aside.

“I wish to submit that a shop steward may be removed from the office through a recall ballot following the lodging of a petition.

“To effect such a ballot, members in a constituency must lodge a petition signed by no less than 50% of the members in the constituency with the regional secretary, who shall forward a copy to the provincial secretary.

“I submit that in the circumstances, the court should make an interim order interdicting the respondents from continuing with these unlawful acts pending finalisation of this matter,” said Mathe.

The municipality and Samwu’s provincial structure have filed notices of their intent to oppose the matter.

On Tuesday the court gave the respondents until January 15 to file their opposing papers.