SAMWU calls for political stability at the City of Johannesburg
1 February 2023
The South African Municipal Workers’ Union (SAMWU) in the Petrus Mashishi Region (Johannesburg) has taken note of the developments last week at an ordinary Council meeting of the City of Johannesburg which ousted the anti-worker and ant-black Cllr Mpho Phalatse as Mayor of the country’s largest economic hub. As SAMWU, we were one of the first organisations to express our joy and jubilation when Cllr Phalatse was first removed late last year.
Just as we did when Cllr Phalatse was first removed, we welcome the decision by parties in the Council to remove her as mayor. Cllr Phalatse has done nothing but bring pain, suffering and prejudice against workers in the City. Notably, Cllr Phalatse was the mastermind of denying residents, particularly those in predominantly black areas, services. We therefore, have once more welcome this development and believe that it will bring a sigh of relief to workers and a breath of fresh air to residents of the City.
We equally note that the Council further voted in Cllr Thapelo Amad as the new mayor of the City. We congratulate Cllr Amad on his newly found responsibilities and trust that he will be nothing similar to his predecessor. In welcoming Cllr Amad, we want to send a strong message to him and his executive that as SAMWU we will not allow workers in the City to once again be treated in the manner which they were under Cllr Phalatse.
Importantly, we will not allow a situation wherein only predominantly white areas are prioritised for service delivery. Our message to Cllr Amad is that should that happen, he will have declared himself an enemy of workers and residents of the City of Johannesburg.
Given the political turmoil that has occurred in the City in the last few months, we are of the view that there is indeed a need for political stability in the City, in the interest of workers and service delivery. There has never been opportune moment for all political parties represented in Council to put aside their political differences and ensure that they work towards ensuring that the City is politically and administratively stabilised.
As workers of the City, we eagerly await to meet with the new Mayor to discuss many labour related and administrative issues which have played a significant role in eroding service delivery across the City at the detriment of the working class and the poor. This meeting should be used to correct the many wrongs and the mess that needs to be cleaned up following the draconian rule by Cllr Phalatse. We will further appeal to Cllr Amad to deal with the illegal and unlawful dismissal of over 130 workers who have now been relegated to poverty and starvation by the previous administration.
As we have, on numerous occasions indicated, our primary preoccupation has never and will never be which political party governs a municipality. For us, only political leaders who put first the needs or workers and residents first, will always have a friend in us. We therefore look forward to working with Cllr Amad and his Executive, hoping that he will not be hostile towards organised labour and workers in particular.
Statement issued by Thobani Nkosi, Johannesburg Regional Secretary, SAMWU Petrus Mashishi Region (Johannesburg), 1 February 2023
