COSATU Gauteng refutes claims by the Mayor of Tshwane regarding his failure to receive the memorandum.

10 October 2023

The Congress of South African Trade Union (COSATU) in Gauteng is dismayed by the lies peddled by the Mayor of the City of Tshwane Cilliers Brink, after failure to receive our memorandum on the 6 October 2023, under the guise of a rowdy crowd and marchers arriving late to submit the memorandum. The letter that was written to the mayor was clear that the memorandum to the City of Tshwane would be submitted at 14:30. This was also confirmed by the Joint Operations Committee approval letter for COSATU to march.  

COSATU Gauteng dismisses as dishonest the claims made by the City of Tshwane including allegations by some media houses that the mayor’s life was threatened, and that he was prevented from receiving our memorandum. In fact, our members were anticipating his appearance to receive the memorandum.

The Federation would also like to state that these false allegations were created by the City of Tshwane to divert the attention away from incompetency and corruption by the city. We view this as part of the city’s propaganda that is aimed at making workers the scapegoat of service delivery challenges, corruption, and lack of direction. We call upon the City and the Mayor to properly address the demands of the workers and resolve service delivery issues that the working class in Tshwane is subjected to.

We hope that the mayor accepts and listens to the employees’ grievances and disputes with empathy. COSATU will henceforth seek a meeting with him to discuss ways in which the challenges faced by the City and its employees could be resolved.

COSATU has noted with concern the bashing of the payment of the 13th cheque by the City of Tshwane. This is a reflection that the City of Tshwane would do anything to convince its citizens that it is bankrupt and would do anything to keep the municipality afloat whilst we know that this is hogwash. COSATU rejects this latest maneuvering by the City of Tshwane with the harshest contempt it deserves.

AMANDLA!!!

Issued by Amos Monyela, COSATU Gauteng, 10 October 2023