Strong action taken against striking Pikitup workers

29 March 2016

 

 

Eighteen members of the South African Municipal Workers' Union (SAMWU) were arrested in connection with several criminal offences, including attempted murder, intimidation, public violence and damage to property in the midst of the ongoing illegal Pikitup strike.

Eleven of the arrested workers were, however, released owing to insufficient evidence.

The remaining seven appeared in the Alexandra Magistrate's Court on Saturday March 26 and were granted R500 bail each.

Two more people were arrested on Easter Monday in Alexandra and Cosmo City for allegedly attacking non-striking Pikitup workers.

This was revealed by Johannesburg Executive Mayor Cllr Parks Tau during a media briefing at the Sandton Library earlier today (Tuesday March 29).

The Executive Mayor – who was flanked by Member of the Mayoral Committee for Environment and Infrastructure Services Councillor Matshidiso Mfikoe, City Manager Trevor Fowler, Chief of the Johannesburg Metro Police Department Major-General Zwelibanzi Nyanda and Pikitup Chairperson Dr Patricia Hanekom – said it appeared in one incident that residents had had enough of the strike and carried out a citizen's arrest.

Mayor Tau said SAMWU shop stewards linked to the strike had been charged with gross misconduct for allegedly orchestrating or inciting their Pikitup colleagues to embark on or take part in the February 4-5 strike.

He said the Labour Court declared the strike unprotected as it did not comply with the provisions of Chapter 4 of the Labour Relations Act.

The Mayor added other workers would from this week appear before the disciplinary committee charged with gross misconduct for embarking on illegal work stoppages in December 2015, February 2016 and March 2016.

"Law enforcement is also now in full swing to ensure the safety of those workers deployed in various communities for waste collection and cleanup. This is the kind of anarchy that must be halted," the Mayor said.

He urged residents not to take the law into their own hands and to rather call (011) 986-9000 or 10111 for police assistance.

The 24/7 hotline (011) 286-6009 can be used by residents seeking assistance in waste collection or to request tools for cleanup initiatives. Residents can also log in illegal dump sites on the GPS-linked JRA Find & Fix app on the agency's website.

Cllr Tau also thanked residents who took part in efforts to make Johannesburg clean. "Most importantly, I must express my sincere gratitude to the workers and service providers deployed as part of our contingency plan during the service disruptions," he said.