Municipal workers’ strike over

Makana Municipality workers, who recently engaged in an illegal strike, have gone back to work removing stacks of rubbish that have been piling up in the streets for almost two weeks.

Acting municipal manager, Riana Meiring, confirmed during a council meeting on Tuesday this week that the workers had halted their strike action. She added that the Regional Executive Committee of the South African Municipal Workers Union had also given the striking workers an ultima- tum. She denied that workers' salaries had been paid late.

“We are used to getting our salaries at 7am, [but there's nothing that says you can't get them at 11.59pm on the same day],” she said.

A municipal worker died in hospital after allegedly being denied access to the private hospital.

Meiring distanced the municipality from the incident, saying his medical aid was never suspended, as had been claimed.

“We have received an email from the [medical aid company], the problem must have arisen from the hospital,” she said. Meiring made it clear that they would not be bullied by staff. “We cannot have an illegal meeting by general staff and expect it to be addressed by the mayor,” she said.

Municipal spokesperson, Yoliswa Ramokolo, also confirmed on Monday that the strike was officially called off, saying that things were back to normal.

Municipal employees downed tools on Monday, 28 September, following reports of problems with their salary payments.

anele@grocotts.co.za