SAMWU must pay for refuse removal

21 September 2023

AfriForum urges the Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality to claim the funds they are losing during the current illegal strike from the South African Municipal Workers’ Union (SAMWU) and not to send bills for refuse removal to residents of this municipality for services they do not receive. The Tshwane Metro is currently suffering from poor service delivery as a result of the illegal strike that started at the end of July. AfriForum is actively working to help solve the problems that residents of the greater Pretoria area are experiencing due to the illegal SAMWU strike.

“Almost no refuse removal services have been provided by the Metro in the Pretoria area for the past two months, but residents are still expected to pay for this. We understand that Tshwane is in desperate need of this income but it is unfair to expect residents to pay for a service they do not receive. The Metro should rather hold SAMWU accountable for the loss of income instead of bills being sent to the residents,” says Petrus Coetzee, AfriForum’s advisor for Local Government Affairs.

Coetzee further argues that if the SAPS does not proactively tackle this illegal strike, it could possibly create a precedent, which could result in similar disruptions in other municipalities. “Such lawlessness not only threatens the rule of law, but also succumbs to a thuggish style of protest that is incompatible with our constitutional democracy. AfriForum will consider legal action if the SAPS does not step in to resolve the situation in Pretoria.”

“AfriForum is also able to provide services where it is not currently possible for the Metro and would like to offer them this option. Where we can, we will continue to offer solutions to the crisis,” concludes Coetzee.

Issued by Petrus Coetzee, Advisor: Local Government Affairs, AfriForum, 21 September 2023