Licensing centres to reopen
VEHICLE licensing centres in Joburg are expected to reopen today, after the city secured an interdict against a strike by staff but union Samwu said members would strike on December 24.
VEHICLE licensing centres across Johannesburg are expected to reopen today, after the city secured an interdict against a strike by staff.
Johannesburg Metro Police Department spokesman Wayne Minnaar said on Tuesday that an interdict had been secured on Monday night.
He said the licensing centres were expected to open today.
However, the South African Municipal Workers Union (Samwu) said its members would go on a protected strike on December 24.
“The strike was only declared unprotected yesterday (Monday) because of the finding that the employer had not received our strike notice of the 8th of December,” said the union’s provincial legal officer, Jack Mokalapa.
Office staff, examiners and administrators at the licensing centres — including those in Sandton, Midrand, Randburg and Roodepoort — downed tools on December 7.
They demanded that salary disparities be attended to.
The Johannesburg traffic department had reportedly advertised entry-level posts at salaries higher than those of experienced workers.
People who wanted to write learner’s tests or take driver’s tests, or renew vehicle or driver’s licences, had been advised to use other centres. Mr Minnaar said people whose learner’s examination had been disrupted should reapply for a new date at no additional cost.
He said no formal meetings were scheduled with the union’s leaders to continue discussions on their grievances. However, “there would definitely be interest by management of the (Johannesburg Metro Police Department) to have a meeting to address their concerns”.
Last month, Samwu members ignored an interdict at Johannesburg waste management company, Pikitup.
The growth in the piles of refuse only came to an end after a deal was struck with Gauteng’s co-operative governance and traditional affairs MEC, Jacob Mamabolo.
In the deal, the city agreed to table proposals for equalising pay, with the union’s members flatly refusing to comply with a
People who had their learner’s examination disrupted should reapply for a new date at no additional cost
court interdict against their twoweek unprotected strike.
The trade union members then threatened to escalate the dispute to other municipalities.
Pikitup and the city had previously cited the interdict, saying the entity would not start any engagement until Samwu members returned to work, since that could set a bad precedent.