The strike in the Mangaung Municipalities seems far from over as parties are yet to find a settlement.
On Friday‚ Mangaung Municipality spokesperson Qondile Khedama said both the city and the SA Municipal Workers Union (Samwu) wanted an end to the strike but had not reached an agreement.
“The city’s leadership is committed to this process. We would like to see the matter closed and services back to normal. We are working tirelessly to make sure that the situation is back to normal‚” said Khedama.
Bloemfontein City Hall fire a disaster: cultural historianThe National Museum in Bloemfontein in the Free State has lamented the burning of the historic Bloemfontein City Hall‚ describing it as a “disaster” to the country’s heritage and a blow to the town’s buoyant tourism economy.
On May 16 municipal workers under Samwu downed tools demanding changes in a variety of their working conditions.
Among the demands made by the union are:
-the immediate cessation of daily political interference of councillors/MMCs in the administration of the municipality;
-absorption of all temporary workers who have been in the system for more than three months;
-unpaid salaries to temporary workers;
-non-implementation of a legal labour forum agreement‚ which relates to the absorption of temporary workers;
-do away with outsourcing and privatisation of municipal services in all departments;
-non-provision of personal protective equipment.
Khedama said‚ despite some disruptions‚ the city was still able to provide basic services.
On Wednesday night the historic City Hall in Bloemfontein went up in flames in a suspected arson attack.
Khedama said the city would wait for a report from the police on the fire.
Samwu distanced itself from the incident.
“Currently no one has established what or who burned the hall. There are investigations continuing which will determine whether it was a who or a what. You cannot pre-empt and say it is a human act. It might have been a faulty [electric] line or God’s act‚” said Thabang Tseuoa‚ Samwu provincial secretary.
Tseuoa said the union was still committed to the negotiations.
“The last time we had a meeting was on Tuesday and we could not agree. We are still pursuing each other to try and get back to the negotiating table.”
The Congress of the People (Cope) called on the municipality to listen to the frustrations of the workers.
“While we do not support violence‚ as a party we understand the frustration of workers in Bloemfontein … The governing party must understand that its intransigence is a source of hopelessness and violence amongst the workers. A government that does not listen to the people is the enemy of democracy‚” said provincial Cope chairperson Pakes Dikgetsi.
Listen to the people‚ says Cope after Bloem violence
The strike in the Mangaung Municipalities seems far from over as parties are yet to find a settlement.
On Friday‚ Mangaung Municipality spokesperson Qondile Khedama said both the city and the SA Municipal Workers Union (Samwu) wanted an end to the strike but had not reached an agreement.
“The city’s leadership is committed to this process. We would like to see the matter closed and services back to normal. We are working tirelessly to make sure that the situation is back to normal‚” said Khedama.
On May 16 municipal workers under Samwu downed tools demanding changes in a variety of their working conditions.
Among the demands made by the union are:
-the immediate cessation of daily political interference of councillors/MMCs in the administration of the municipality;
-absorption of all temporary workers who have been in the system for more than three months;
-unpaid salaries to temporary workers;
-non-implementation of a legal labour forum agreement‚ which relates to the absorption of temporary workers;
-do away with outsourcing and privatisation of municipal services in all departments;
-non-provision of personal protective equipment.
Khedama said‚ despite some disruptions‚ the city was still able to provide basic services.
On Wednesday night the historic City Hall in Bloemfontein went up in flames in a suspected arson attack.
Khedama said the city would wait for a report from the police on the fire.
Samwu distanced itself from the incident.
“Currently no one has established what or who burned the hall. There are investigations continuing which will determine whether it was a who or a what. You cannot pre-empt and say it is a human act. It might have been a faulty [electric] line or God’s act‚” said Thabang Tseuoa‚ Samwu provincial secretary.
Tseuoa said the union was still committed to the negotiations.
“The last time we had a meeting was on Tuesday and we could not agree. We are still pursuing each other to try and get back to the negotiating table.”
The Congress of the People (Cope) called on the municipality to listen to the frustrations of the workers.
“While we do not support violence‚ as a party we understand the frustration of workers in Bloemfontein … The governing party must understand that its intransigence is a source of hopelessness and violence amongst the workers. A government that does not listen to the people is the enemy of democracy‚” said provincial Cope chairperson Pakes Dikgetsi.
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