The South African Municipal Workers’ Union (SAMWU) in the Shonamalanga Region, KwaZulu-Natal, is utterly dismayed and gobsmacked by the recent decision of the City of uMhlathuze Local Municipality to advertise 16 job vacancies. This external recruitment, which carries a potential remuneration cost of Sixteen Million Sixty-Six Thousand Three Hundred and Five Rand and Twelve Cents (R16,066,305.12), is being pursued while current employees are receiving short pay and continue to be denied their rightful overtime compensation.

This action is entirely reckless, particularly as the municipality has been placed under Cost Containment for the past three years, a situation that has already deprived workers of basic benefits such as soap and toilet paper. Furthermore, this is the same municipality that has consistently misled the South African Local Government Bargaining Council for three years, often capping overtime at the threshold and citing a poor financial standing. It is noteworthy that the current salaries budget remains precarious, placing existing employees at risk of having missed payments and tainted Credit Scores.

As a trade union, we are typically enthusiastic about the prospects of municipalities employing more people, recognising their vital role in local economic development. However, this time, we take a dim view of these developments as there are outstanding wages owed to current employees. The Union views this recruitment as an action that will further exacerbate the challenges faced by our members. SAMWU is not saying the municipality should not employ, but rather, we insist it must first get its house in order.

 SAMWU strongly condemns the Municipality’s decision to proceed with external recruitment when it has failed to meet its most basic obligation: paying workers their outstanding salaries and overtime. This is not merely irresponsible, but also a direct affront to the dignity of municipal workers who continue to provide essential services under increasingly difficult circumstances. We are the champions of workers’ interest in the local government sector and have already resorted to the legal route, serving the municipality with a Letter of Demand for outstanding payments of salaries and objecting to the recruitment of non-essential personnel whilst owing workers’ wages and salaries.

The City continues to make headlines for all the wrong reasons. Service providers have taken the City to court, owing to unpaid invoices, yet the municipality attempts to convince the public that they have the financial capacity to dish out patronage. Workers are the backbone of service delivery in our communities, yet they are being forced to shoulder the burden of poor financial management and misplaced priorities. Many have gone for recurring months without receiving their salaries in full, and others have worked long hours of overtime without any compensation, all in a selfless effort to keep essential municipal services running.

As SAMWU, we therefore demand the immediate withdrawal of all advertised vacancies until the current financial obligations to existing employees are met, and the full payment of all outstanding salaries and overtime owed to municipal workers without any further delay. We further demand the full Provision of PPE in line with the Occupational Health and Safety Act, the provision of Mobile Toilets for all field workers to end this inhumane treatment, and the urgent provision of Tools of Trade and Fleet, as no Member of SAMWU will drive or commute in an unroadworthy Vehicle. We insist on the payment of Standby Allowances inclusive of Meal Allowances and Danger Allowances and call for an engagement with labour unions to address the Municipality’s financial challenges in a transparent and collaborative manner.

We wish to remind the Municipality that recruitment processes must not proceed while workers’ constitutional rights to fair labour practices and remuneration are being violated. The continued disregard for the welfare of employees risks undermining morale, service delivery, and labour stability. Should the Municipality fail to act accordingly, SAMWU will not hesitate to escalate this matter, including continuing with exploring all legal avenues and mass mobilisation of workers. SAMWU stands firm in full defence of its members and will continue to fight for the fair treatment and respect of all municipal workers

Issued by SAMWU Shonamalanga Region 

Zandile Gumede, Regional Secretary, 081 284 2591 

Sibusiso Mhlongo, Regional Chairperson, 062 193 1234