PIETERMARITZBURG, KwaZulu-Natal — The ongoing Pietermaritzburg municipal workers strike has entered its third day, leaving the provincial capital drowning in uncollected rubbish and escalating into tense clashes between police and South African Municipal Workers Union (SAMWU) protesters.
The Msunduzi CBD is currently buried in waste, with bins overturned and refuse piled across roads. The largest accumulation of garbage is situated outside city hall, which serves as the municipality’s own headquarters. In residential areas, waste collection has completely stopped as workers down tools over what they describe as the municipality’s persistent failure to resolve problems that have dragged on for years.
Brandon George, SAMWU regional chairperson representing the union in Msunduzi, stated that the current actions are part of a broader demonstration. “It seems as if this is the only language that the leadership of this municipality seems to understand. We’ve tried everything possible,” George said.
Tensions boiled over outside the Assetti building, where a heavy police presence attempted to disperse the striking workers. Police were reported to have drawn their weapons and fired rubber bullets at the protesters, some of whom had burned tires in the streets. George strongly condemned the police response, noting that while there was a commotion, employees were not harming anyone, making the use of rubber bullets entirely unnecessary.
At the core of the dispute is the municipality’s alleged failure to implement an agreement reached in June. The workers’ list of demands includes salary upgrades, final job descriptions, and the reinstatement of the standby system. According to George, out of 11 total items, eight have been addressed, but three critical outstanding issues remain unresolved.
Frustration mounted further when the union alleged that the Msunduzi legal department backtracked on commitments. George explained that the municipality presented an agreement that altered terms previously discussed and agreed upon the day before, which angered the employees.
A meeting scheduled for 2:00 PM at city hall failed to materialize. However, a subsequent 4:00 PM meeting was planned between the union, the Troika, and municipal leadership to address the altered agreement and the day’s events.
Addressing concerns about service delivery, George clarified that electricity and water are classified as essential services. He noted that a main collective service agreement is already in place, which requires municipal management to create a roster of staff who will remain on duty while others strike. He emphasized that it is the municipality’s responsibility, not the union’s, to ensure managers have a schedule in place to cater to residents suffering from water or electricity outages.
When questioned about the future of the industrial action should the 4:00 PM negotiations fail, George was resolute. Reflecting the mandate given by the union’s members, he declared that the strike will continue. “There’s no retreat, there’s no surrender at the moment,” he affirmed, signaling that the standoff in Pietermaritzburg is far from over.