eThekwini Municipality ropes in extra cleaning staff amid violent protests
Extra cleaning staff have been hired to help clean the streets of Durban after bins were overturned and rubbish strewn across busy roadways during a strike by aggrieved SA Municipal Workers Union (Samwu) members.
Speaking at a media briefing on Monday, hosted at the Durban International Convention Centre, KwaZulu-Natal Premier Nomusa Dube-Ncube said extra personnel will be brought in to help with the clean-up campaign.
She said the private sector has also pledged to bring in extra personnel.
“They are now working on mapping the areas that the teams will be deployed to. We will then put all of them under supervision. We are hoping that with the extra hands, the cleaning will get under way fairly quickly,” Dube-Ncube said.
She said police and various intelligence organisations are combing through footage to identify culprits in the protest. According to the premier, those found to have played a part in damaging infrastructure will face the full might of the law.
Last week, hundreds of disgruntled workers took to the streets over wage disputes, overturning bins and littering the streets with garbage.
The City then sought an urgent court interdict against striking staff, following threats of violence and intimidation of non-striking workers.
The City further put in place emergency contingency plans to minimise service disruptions to residents, businesses and the deployment of security personnel at strategic locations to monitor and safeguard critical infrastructure.
In a joint statement, Dube-Ncube and eThekwini Municipality Mayor Mxolisi Kaunda said a circular was issued, reminding staff of the ‘No Work, No Pay, No Benefits’ policy that applies at this time.
At least several city-run organisations, including clinics, have been closed since the start of the strike.
Dube-Ncube emphasised that all spheres of government are working together to resolve this challenge.
“We are in discussion with national government to support the City and province through the provision of intelligence services and deployment of additional police officers in key hotspots to enhance safety and security capacity,” she said.
The City has yet to confirm the rand value lost as a result of the strike.
IOL