About 3 000 municipal workers marched on the headquarters of the Tshwane metro council on Thursday to demand an end to privatisation.
The group, members of the SA Municipal Workers’ Union and the Independent Municipal and Allied Trade Union, called for meaningful negotiations with the employer and threatened further action if this did not transpire.
In a memorandum addressed to the SA Local Government Association (Salga), the unions demanded a halt to privatisation and corporatisation, that they feared would result in job losses.
They were especially concerned about the planned corporatisation of the Tshwane metro bus service.
The group was also opposed to the use of casual labour, saying contract workers were often exploited and underpaid.
The unions demanded full involvement in the drawing up of restructuring plans, and the immediate full-time employment of contract staff. All privatised companies and outsourced services should be returned to municipalities, the memorandum said.
Protesters also demanded that free water and electricity be rolled out in all areas where this was not yet available, and an end to the use of pre-paid water and electricity meters.
These meters, they said, robbed indigent South Africans of access to basic needs.
The group demanded a stop to what it termed the unilateral imposition of a new pension fund in Johannesburg, an end to corruption and nepotism, and ”effective cross-subsidisation from rich to poor and from business to domestic consumers”.
Similar marches were held in Vanderbijlpark, Germiston and Randfontein in Gauteng.
The memorandum warned that Thursday’s protest was a ”launching pad” for rolling mass action if no solution was found to the issues raised.
The employer was given seven days to respond ”or face the wrath of workers in the weeks to come”.
The Pretoria group marched from Church Square to Munitoria, disrupting traffic for several blocks along the way.
Protesters carried placards reading ”Not my job for fat cats’ profits”, ”Salga is selling us out” and ”Salga, give our rights back”.
Congress of SA Trade Unions representative Jan Tsiane assured the marchers of the trade union federation’s support for their cause.
”We are not here because we believe we have the wrong government… but at the same time as workers, we will never allow a situation where business takes over the management of municipal services in this city,” he said.
”These services must be controlled by the people we elected into power.”
Mayoral committee member Absalom Ditshoke said the memorandum would be presented to Smangaliso Mkhatshwa in his dual capacity as Tshwane mayor and Salga chairperson.
He reiterated the employer’s commitment to negotiation, and said the issues raised would be discussed with unions.
”We have no intention to undermine this process because as labour and the employer we need each other,” he told the protesters.
Tshwane metro council spokesperson Willie Baloyi said there had been no serious disruption of council services.
Municipal buses ran normally in the morning, prior to the march, and drivers had undertaken to ensure they would run again in the afternoon.
Some municipal offices had been closed for the duration of the march, including some traffic licensing offices. The effects were not immediately clear.
Baloyi said the council expected all the protesters to return to work after the march ended around 12.30pm. Those who refused would not be paid for the day. – Sapa