The South African Municipal Workers’ Union (SAMWU) notes and welcomes the outcome of the Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg which has struck from the roll the urgent application brought by the Democratic Alliance (DA) seeking to halt the implementation of the Politically Facilitated Agreement (PFA). The Court found that the matter lacked urgency and awarded costs against the applicant, confirming that the attempt to interdict the implementation of the agreement could not be sustained.
SAMWU extends its appreciation to the thousands of workers who gathered in their numbers for the night vigil on the eve of the hearing, as well as the thousands more who filled the streets of Johannesburg on the day of the proceedings. This level of mobilisation reflects a decisive shift in the posture of workers, who have made it clear that they will no longer tolerate delays in the implementation of agreements that directly affect their livelihoods. Workers have spoken with one voice: the time for waiting is over.
What we have witnessed in Johannesburg is the living expression of the mandate of the 13th National Congress of SAMWU. The call of Congress has been taken up by workers on the ground, not as a slogan, but as a programme of action:
We will organise,
We will mobilise,
We will fight,
The thousands who stood outside the court did so with discipline, unity and clarity of purpose. They demonstrated that workers are ready to defend their gains and to confront any attempt to undermine them. This mobilisation confirms that the PFA is not a distant policy issue, but a matter that goes to the heart of workers’ lives, their dignity and the survival of their families.
This outcome also exposes, in the clearest possible terms, the political posture of the Democratic Alliance. Having failed to impose its position through Council processes, the DA turned to the courts in a desperate attempt to block the implementation of an agreement that addresses long-standing wage disparities.
This outcome also exposes, in the clearest possible terms, the political posture of the Democratic Alliance. Having failed to impose its position through Council processes, the DA turned to the courts in a desperate attempt to block the implementation of an agreement that addresses long-standing wage disparities.
This is not an isolated incident, but part of a consistent pattern in which the DA seeks to reverse gains made by workers, whether in Tshwane or now in Johannesburg.
Workers must not be confused. The DA has shown, through its actions, that it stands opposed to the interests of workers. It seeks to roll back gains that have been achieved through struggle. It seeks to weaken collective bargaining. It seeks to shift the burden of municipal challenges onto the shoulders of workers.
As the country moves towards the upcoming local government elections, SAMWU issues a clear and unambiguous call to workers and their families. Register to vote. Do not stay away on voting day. The conditions we face in many municipalities today are, in part, a consequence of workers not fully asserting their collective power at the ballot box.
Workers must use their vote as a weapon to defend their interests. They must reject those who seek to undermine their livelihoods. They must reject those who have demonstrated, in practice, that they are intent on reversing the gains that workers have fought for and secured.
Whatever workers do, they must reject the Democratic Alliance. Its record is clear. Its actions are consistent. It does not stand with workers. It stands against them.
We now calls on the City of Johannesburg to proceed with the immediate implementation of the Politically Facilitated Agreement. The court outcome removes any remaining justification for delay. Workers have waited long enough. The City must act with urgency and ensure that workers receive what is due to them without further postponement.
Issued by SAMWU Gauteng Province
Mpho Tladinyane
Provincial Secretary
(083 941 5888)
Or
Julia Phakula
Deputy Provincial Secretary
(083 717 0898)
