News24 reports that workers at the embattled West Rand District Municipality say they will not budge until all their demands have been met.  

On Wednesday, they embarked on a march and handed over a memorandum to the office of Gauteng Premier David Makhura, calling on him to deal with their grievances.  According to SA Municipal Workers' Union (Samwu) spokesperson Bongani Mgcina, the acting premier, education MEC Panyaza Lesufi, received the memo and made a commitment to respond within seven days.  However, Mgcina was adamant that they would continue with their shutdown until all their demands were met, including that their third-party funds such as medical aid, pension and provident fund contributions were paid to them.  "While the acting premier is contemplating answers to our memorandum, we will not be rendering our services," Mgcina said.  Samwu’s memo also called for the municipality to be placed under administration.  On Thursday, Samwu issued a press statement indicating that, following the march, Premier David Makhura “made a commitment that the municipality will be placed under administration in terms of Section 139 (of the Constitution).  We welcome this move as a step in the right direction in addressing the challenges currently faced by the municipality.”

• Read the full original report by Sesona Ngqakamba at News24
• Read Samwu’s press statement at SA Labour News

Get other news reports at the SA Labour News home page