By Lungile Ntimba
The South African Municipal Workers’ Union (SAMWU) in the Shonamalanga region has accused Bamba Ndwadwe, the Ministerial Representative at Umkhanyakude District Municipality, of widespread violations of labour rights and deliberately undermining workers’ conditions of service.
In June 2022, the municipal union said it formally communicated with the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA), outlining several concerns related to Ndwadwe’s tenure.
Among the issues raised are unilateral changes to employment terms without consultation, interference in Supply Chain Management processes, delays in the provision of essential tools of trade, and the absence of a clear turnaround strategy.
SAMWU said these actions have eroded transparency and accountability in the municipality.
The union also cited the suspension of staff placement processes, which it says has harmed morale and career progression, as well as reports of physical threats made against workers.
Additional red flags include the irregular opening of a bank account and the appointment of an Acting Municipal Manager without a Council resolution.
Despite raising these concerns, SAMWU said the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) has failed to act, instead continuing with the Section 139(1)(b) intervention at Umkhanyakude.
The union now believes the intervention has become counterproductive and is calling for its immediate withdrawal.
“We firmly oppose the continued Section 139(1)(b) intervention. Workers have been at the forefront of stabilising the institution, having played a direct role in addressing the triggers cited for intervention—including poor audit outcomes, cash flow constraints, and the failure to appoint senior management. These gains are now at risk of being reversed due to ongoing political interference and lack of transparency,” said SAMWU regional secretary Zandile Gumede in a statement on Monday.
SAMWU also criticised COGTA’s silence on what it described as similar or even worse governance and financial challenges in other municipalities within the district.
The union accused the department of applying its interventions inconsistently and selectively.
Gumede pointed to Jozini Municipality, which she said has failed to appoint senior managers and is grappling with severe cash flow issues, resulting in delayed salary payments.
In Mtubatuba, she added, the municipality has failed to comply with legal obligations, including the non-payment of COIDA fees for over two years—leaving workers unprotected.
“COGTA’s selective intervention raises serious questions about fairness, consistency, and the real motives behind these so-called corrective actions,” said Gumede.
“We demand that COGTA urgently intervene in Jozini and Mtubatuba municipalities, where workers are subjected to deteriorating conditions and financial instability.”
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