Ratepayers demand urgent action amid municipal worker strike
Ratepayers'
associations in eThekwini are appealing to the mayor to outline plans to
mitigate the effects of the protracted municipal workers' strike.
Mxolisi Kaunda is expected to brief the media today on their service delivery recovery plan.
It's in response to the illegal industrial action by scores of SAMWU-affiliated workers who are demanding higher pay in line with other municipalities.
The work stoppage severely affected refuse collection...and other services.
The municipal manager said yesterday, that some striking employees have returned to their posts.
More are expected to resume their duties today.
SAMWU has urged its members to keep working while negotiations continue. Andrew Akkers is the chairperson of the Avoca, Effingham and Greenwood Park Ratepayers Association.
"We want to hear that they've agreed and that the strike is over and that workers will start work immediately because we have residents for over 10 days with no electricity.
If they can get the guys to come pick up refuse bags immediately and not wait for refuse collection day which is Monday, we will appreciate that because we have an infestation of maggots and flies at the moment."
Ivor Ayward is with the association on the Bluff. He questions why the law wasn't put in place if it was an illegal strike.
"Now we have this chaos we see in every ward, here are on the Bluff, it is chaos and I believe the municipality, if this was an illegal strike should be held responsible for not nipping it in the bud."
