SowetanLive reports that the SA Municipal Workers’ Union (Samwu) plans to challenge the City of Ekurhuleni for its decision to fire 40 of its members in the waste removal department.  

The city fired the workers on Monday last week for gross misconduct after they allegedly went on the rampage on the preceding Saturday, harassing, assaulting and intimidating a waste-collecting crew at the Kempton Park depot.  It is the city’s claim that the workers tried to set a truck driver and an operator alight, but fortunately the duo managed to escape on foot.  But, Samwu is fuming over the dismissals and has accused the metro of trying to bring in contractors to do work that its members are paid for.  According to Samwu spokesperson Papikie Mohale, the city indicated at the local labour forum that it wanted to contract private companies for some of its collection and waste disposal functions.  However, before the discussion were concluded, the city went ahead and appointed contractors, Mohale claimed.  It was apparently those contractors who were attacked.  Mohale refused to comment on the veracity of the allegations against the workers, but noted that the city had to explain why it dismissed the workers without any disciplinary processes.  Yet, Ekurhuleni defended its decision to fire the workers, saying it viewed the conduct of the employees as rendering their continued employment intolerable.

• Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Penwell Dlamini at SowetanLive

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