Pretoria News reports that according to the Tshwane metro, the R380 million it agreed to disburse to municipal workers as part of the ex gratia once-off payments following last week’s crippling strike will not affect service delivery.  

Finance MMC Mare-lise Fourie said that while the amount had not been budgeted for, it would not affect service delivery “at this point in time”.  However, the payouts due to workers would compel the city to adjust its budget in December.  The payouts are part of an agreement between the city, the SA Municipal Workers’ Union (Samwu) and the Independent Municipal and Allied Trade Union (Imatu).  In terms of the agreement, workers who earn less than R20,000 a month will be paid a once-off ex gratia payment of R15,000.  Those earning between R20,001 and R30,000 will receive R10,000, and R7,000 will be paid to those earning above R30,000.  The payouts are expected to be made within seven days.  Municipal workers had gone on “unlawful” strike action for five days, demanding an 18% salary increase on the basis that that rate had been given to senior managers.  For four days, people in the city centre were subjected to chaos sparked by protesters.

• Read the full original of the above report by Rapula Moatshe at Pretoria News
• Read too, Samwu municipal workers in Tshwane score once-off payments, at HeraldLive
• And also, Tshwane bonus ‘gift’ irks DA boss, on page 4 of The Sunday Times of 4 August 2019

Get other news reports at the SA Labour News home page