The South African Municipal Workers' Union (SAMWU) Ekurhuleni Region strongly condemns the City of Ekurhuleni's decision to reduce overtime and acting allowances by 50% and to introduce contracted services as a means to address service delivery challenges. This decision is not only ill-considered but also a clear indication that the City is more interested in serving the interests of political elites and their associates rather than the residents of Ekurhuleni.
As SAMWU, we are convinced that the inclusion of contractors is nothing but a ploy by political parties to funnel municipal resources to their friends and allies, especially with Local Government elections looming next year. The City's adjustment budget, which reduces employee-related costs and shifts focus to contracted services, is a slap in the face to municipal workers and the communities they serve.
This move is not about improving service delivery; it is about creating opportunities for political patronage and enriching a select few at the expense of the public. The City's claim that municipal employees are abusing overtime is a smokescreen to justify this reckless decision. Instead of addressing the root causes of inefficiencies, such as high vacancy rates and inadequate resource allocation, the City has chosen to scapegoat workers and outsource their responsibilities.
The City of Ekurhuleni's failure to consult SAMWU through the legislated Local Labour Forum (LLF) before implementing this decision is a clear violation of labour relations protocols. A prudent employer would have engaged organised labour to discuss the implications of such a decision and sought an amicable solution. Instead, the City has chosen to act unilaterally, disregarding the voices of those who are most affected.
Furthermore, we are deeply concerned that this decision is part of a broader strategy to outsource municipal services to contractors. This move would not only jeopardise the job security of municipal workers but also lead to a decline in the quality of services provided to the residents of Ekurhuleni. The City's resources should be used to empower its workforce and improve service delivery, not to enrich private contractors at the expense of workers and the broader community.
SAMWU firmly believes that the City's decision to rely on contracted services is a deliberate attempt to collapse internal capacity and create a dependency on external service providers. This is a dangerous precedent that will have long-term consequences for the municipality and its residents. The City's finances are already under strain, and outsourcing services will only lead to further financial mismanagement and corruption.
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The City's management should do better in terms of managing the affairs of the city to enable it to live up to its constitutional objectives and to effectively provide traffic safety, crime prevention services, protection for all council's assets, fire and rescue services, and disaster management services that ensure the safety of all communities within the jurisdiction of Ekurhuleni.
SAMWU calls on the City of Ekurhuleni to immediately reverse this decision and engage in meaningful consultations with the union to address the challenges facing the municipality. We urge the City to prioritise the well-being of its employees and the communities they serve, rather than pursuing policies that will only lead to further instability and decline in service delivery.
As workers and residents of Ekurhuleni, we will not stand idle when the municipality is being handed over to tenderpreneurs on a silver platter. We will not be spectators in the deliberate attempt to collapse the internal capacity of the municipality, which we rely on for services. SAMWU will be further engaging its membership collective in the Shopfloor and weighing its legal options to ensure that the rights of municipal workers and the interests of the community are protected.
