SAMWU celebrates as ADM employees finally receive salary increases, dismissed employees reinstated and suspensions withdrawn

The South African Municipal Workers’ Union (SAMWU) in the Eastern Cape province today celebrates as the political engagements that have been happening for several months now finally bears fruits for municipal workers at the troubled Amathole District Municipality. The union has in the last several months been in engagements with COSATU, the SACP and the ANC with the view of addressing the challenges faced by employees at the institution.

Employees at the municipality were denied a salary increase for the last 3 financial years despite a collective agreement being signed in the South African Local Government Bargaining Council (SALGBC). We are pleased to announce that the ADM has agreed to pay workers the 6.25% salary increase that was due to them in 2020 by the 25th of this month. The implementation of the remaining 3.5% and 4.9% for 2021 and 2022 respectively shall be discussed at an LLF level. We understand the frustration and agitation amongst these workers who have, despite their commitment to delivering services to residents, been denied a salary increase thus reducing their purchasing power for three consecutive years.

Many members of the union and ordinary employees of the institution were subjected to a witch-hunt campaign spearheaded by the previous Troika. To this effect, the union’s shopstewards and other employees were either dismissed or suspended. Out of these engagements, all employees who were dismissed will be reinstated while suspensions of shopstewards and charges against employees will be withdrawn effective immediately.

In the main, many of the trials and tribulations that had befallen ADM employees were a result of the actions of the former Municipal Manager Mnyimba whose contract of employment was recently terminated by the ADM. We welcome the decision by the ADM Council to terminate the employment contract of Mr Mnyimba whom we have as a union called out for his anti-worker posture. We further welcome the decision by the Council to appoint Mr Dunga as ADM’s Acting Municipal Manager, we trust that while ADM starts the process of appointing a permanent Municipal Manager, Mr Dunga will stabilise the institution.

There are several matters which directly affect our members which are still outstanding. The ADM has committed to working together with labour to ensure that many of these matters are finalised. We, therefore, plead for patience from members as the union engages with the ADM to process the finalisation of other items, in particular, the salary and wage increases. In welcoming the work that has been done by the ADM and its political leadership, we caution the institution to always comply with collective agreements and resist the temptation of purging workers and union bashing as was the norm previously. 

We thank COSATU and ANC leadership in the province for facilitating engagements between ourselves and the municipality with the view of advancing the interests of municipal workers. We further thank the political leadership of the ADM for allowing itself to be engageable and assisting in addressing pressing issues. This is the type of political maturity that should be emulated by all political leaders in municipalities.

Issued by SAMWU Eastern Cape

Yalezo Luzuko

Provincial Secretary

071 628 7566

Or

Lorna Lubedu

Deputy Provincial Secretary

071 900 5014