TimesLIVE reports that SA Municipal Workers’ Union (Samwu) shop stewards and members who embarked on a “violent” unprotected strike this week have been slapped with a court interdict to desist with their behaviour.

The eThekwini municipality launched the application in the Durban Labour Court at 10pm on Wednesday. Judge Benita Whitcher granted the application just before midnight. The application was sparked by what the city said were incidents of violence and intimidation on Wednesday committed by about 500 workers who believed they were not being paid at the same scale as other municipal employees in other provinces. In his affidavit in the urgent application, senior manager of legal services Lindani Nxumalo said the workers had gathered at Curries Fountain and then marched to the City Hall to present their pay demands. “What followed can only be described as mayhem,” he indicated. Nxumalo added: “There is every indication that this violence will escalate tomorrow [Thursday].” In terms of the interim interdict, provisions of which were made immediately enforceable, the respondents were interdicted and restrained from committing any acts of violence, unlawful conduct, intimidation or interfering with the city’s services or operations.

• Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Tania Broughton at BusinessLive

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