Tshwane wants illegal strikers fired
2011-03-04 20:44
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Pretoria - Tshwane metropolitan municipality will seek to dismiss workers involved in the illegal strike and protests in which a worker died, the city's acting municipal manager Oupa Nkoane said on Friday.
Nkoane's announcement at a press conference in Pretoria followed the death of a 43-year-old man in clashes between striking bus and refuse workers, police and metro police at the city's Church Street depot on Thursday.
On Friday, the city's security director Daniel Manganye confirmed the death and that the man was a municipal employee, but said he could not provide details on how the man died. He said investigations were continuing.
SA Municipal Workers' Union members are up in arms over the disciplinary action being taken against their members in the city's troubled bus services.
They demanded the sacking of Tshwane Bus Services director Bernard Mojapelo.
Nkoane said: "We will be advancing their dismissal. The motive (of the strike) is to stop us proceeding with disciplinary action."
He said the city had lodged an interdict to prevent Samwu members from going on strike.
The interdict, which was granted in the Labour Court on Friday, ordered Samwu not to prevent other workers from working and not to damage property.
Nkoane said that the city would seek to implement civil charges to recover costs related to damages caused at the Church Street bus depot.
On Thursday, 1 200 workers were reported as being on strike, but it is believed that some did not turn up to work because of intimidation.
Attempts to contact Samwu were unsuccessful. It is thought to have suspended the strike.
The city employs more than 17 000 people.
- SAPA
