BusinessDay reports that the City of Tshwane’s application to be exempt from implementing a wage deal reached with labour in 2021/22 has been dismissed again by the SA Local Government Bargaining Council.

It ruled on Friday that the metro had to comply with the wage agreement and effect the necessary adjustments and payments, “including all back pay, within six months of the award [or ruling]”. The ruling marks the second time the city failed in its attempt to be exempt from implementing the 3.5% wage deal. It comes five months after the Labour Court’s ruling on Tshwane’s wage exemption applications regarding the 3.5% wage increase for 2021 and a 5.4% pay hike for 2023. For the 2021 wage agreement, the Court had ruled the metro’s exemption application needed to be heard again before another exemption panellist appointed by the bargaining council. Regarding the 2023 wage deal, the Court said Tshwane had to be granted exemption from implementing the pay deal.

The SA Municipal Workers’ Union (Samwu) is appealing against that specific part of the ruling at the Labour Appeal Court. On Monday, Samwu’s Dumisane Magagula said: “The SA Local Government Bargaining Council has now, unequivocally and for the second time, upheld the rights of workers, directing the city to pay workers the overdue 3.5% salary increases that were supposed to be effected in July 2021.” Magagula called on the city management to implement the ruling “without further delay”.

• Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Luyolo Mkentane at BusinessDay (subscriber access only)

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