LLEGAL STRIKE ACTION AND INTIMIDATION BY SOME CITY EMPLOYEES ARE HAMPERING SERVICE DELIVERY

Mon, Mar 21, 2022

The City of Tshwane has entered Day 2 of service delivery disruptions in parts of Tshwane due to illegal and unprotected strike action by some employees. 

The City has since activated a Joint Operations Centre this morning to respond to these disruptions, with members of the Tshwane Metro Police Department and South African Police Service deployed across Tshwane. 

The striking workers have blocked non-striking employees from performing their duties and intimidating those who wish to carry on with their work. 

This is causing prolonged delays to the City's ability to respond to some of the outages that are affecting parts of the city. 

The ongoing unlawful strike action is being driven by members claiming to be affiliated to the South African Municipal Workers' Union (SAMWU). An internal memorandum has been issued by the acting City Manager instructing employees to refrain from participating in the strike and to return to work immediately as their continued participation in the protest action is illegal. 

The City is in the process of systematically addressing the service delivery blockages to ensure that we adequately respond to the backlogs we are experiencing. 

The majority of City of Tshwane employees are performing their duties while isolated groups are attempting to disrupt the work of the administration. 

We wish to apologise to residents for the delays that some may be experiencing. 

Update one:

City of Tshwane teams working to resolve electricity outages despite illegal strike action

Mon, Mar 21, 2022

City of Tshwane technicians have gradually begun the process of restoring power to some areas that have experienced prolonged outages amid the threats and intimidation that they have been subjected to by pockets of employees that are involved in an unlawful and unprotected strike action. 

Tshwane has experienced a series of outages affecting at least four regions due to the strike and the City's administration has now enlisted the services of law enforcement who escort teams to attend to service interruptions in a bid to clear the backlog occasioned by the protest action which started on Tuesday, 15 March 2022. 

From 23:00 last night, various teams started going out to attend to service interruptions and will ramp up these operations today despite the depleted capacity of personnel who are being forcibly removed from offices and prevented from performing their duties for which they are remunerated. 

Consumers have had power restored to most of the areas in Region 3, which include Kwaggasrand, West Park, Saulsville, Danville and Westview. 

Power has also been restored in Laudium, a portion of Valhalla, and Erasmia. Other areas such as Rua Vista, Thatchfield, a portion of The Reeds and Olievenhoutbosch had power restored last night, but it went off again due to cable theft which tripped the main substation. Efforts are underway to replace the stolen cables. 

In Region 7, we persisted with power restoration in the Zithobeni extensions and the Bronkhorstspruit Waste Water Treatment Plant last night, despite threats to and intimidation of officials. 

Law enforcement is busy providing protection to teams that are ready to go out, particularly in certain parts of Region 6 that have had prolonged outages. 

The City of Tshwane is currently attending to all reported electricity outages throughout the municipal area. Personnel continue to face some disruptions and intimidation from illegally striking workers. However, our teams are systematically working through the backlogs that have occurred as a result of the strike. In areas of high risk we are making sure that our teams are escorted to protect our staff from the illegal strike action. This means that it may take slightly longer to reach these outages and to restore electricity. 

We would like to appeal to our residents to continue to log complaints via the City's customer care channels. If your outage is extended, please escalate the matter to your ward councillor (with a City of Tshwane reference number) and he/she will be able to escalate the matter to your regional electricity team. 

The City of Tshwane apologises for this inconvenience and hopes to restore full services to its valued residents and customers as soon as practically possible.

Update Two:

City of Tshwane teams working tirelessly to address blackouts in spite of unlawful strike

Mon, Mar 21, 2022

Regardless of the aggression they have been subjected to by cliques of employees who are currently involved in an unlawful strike, artisan teams from the Energy and Electricity Department are progressing steadily in restoring the power supply to Tshwane residents who have been enduring blackouts. 

Some parts of the metropolitan municipality that have been engulfed in blackouts have been switched back on while there is tremendous headway in efforts to restore electricity to areas without power.

Our teams have been able to restore power as follows: 

Overnight, our industrious team of electricians restored power to Soshanguve Block XX, Heatherdale and Wonderboom. Meanwhile, attention is being given to faults in Pretoria North, Winterveld Ext 3, Klerksoord, and Soshanguve Block BB, DD and UU in Region 1. 

Grootvlei, Soutpansberg, and Vasfontein East and West in Region 2 have been energised. There are no outstanding outages in this region. 

Consumers have had their power restored in most areas of Region 3, which include part of Atteridgeville, Kalafong Heights, Swartspruit, Danville, Leoka Villa, Kings Highway, Rietfontein, Waterkloof and Westview. Muckleneuk was restored, but due to faults that are yet to be identified, the electricity is currently off. Other repairs that are underway in this region are Kwaggasrand (affecting mainly the Dog School), portions of Lynnwood and Monumentpark. 

In Region 4, power supply lines were the cause of the outage problem. Despite this, technicians managed to switch on a portion of Valhalla and Doornkloof. Areas that are still outstanding include portions of Olievenhoutbosch and Thatchfield, Laudium, The Reeds, Rua Vista, Eldoraigne and Kloofsig. 

Baviaanspoort in Region 5 has been switched back on, while repairs focusing on parts of Refilwe and Magalies Water are underway. 

In Region 6, the City's electricians continued firmly with power restoration to Silverton and Zwavelpoort plots despite threats to and intimidation of officials. Outstanding areas that are receiving attention include portions of Equestria, Faerie Glen, Wapadrand, Mamelodi Ext 6 and Eersterust. 

There are no major outages affecting Region 7. 

The City of Tshwane's teams are systematically working through the backlogs that have occurred as a result of the strike. In areas of high risk, we are making sure that our teams are escorted to protect our staff from the unlawful strike action. This means that it may take slightly longer to reach outages and to restore electricity. 

The City of Tshwane apologises for this inconvenience and hopes to restore full services to its valued customers as soon as practically possible. 

Issued by Tshwane, 21 March 2022