By Charmaine Ndlela
The South African Municipal Workers’ Union (SAMWU) has hit back at the Democratic Alliance (DA) following the party’s criticism of a R10.3 billion agreement between the union and the City of Johannesburg.
This comes after the DA accused Johannesburg mayor Dada Morero of endorsing what it calls a “politically facilitated agreement” with SAMWU, an agreement the party says will saddle the City with an unfunded R10 billion obligation until 2027.
The party’s lawyers wrote to the City of Johannesburg on Thursday, accusing Morero of misleading the Council and SAMWU by creating false expectations and placing the City at severe financial risk.
However, SAMWU Regional Secretary Thobani Nkosi dismissed the DA’s claims as “pure lies,” accusing the party of political posturing and selective memory.
“They behave like they’ve got amnesia,” Nkosi said.
“What happened in 2016, when Herman Mashaba was the Executive Mayor of the City of Johannesburg under the DA? A portion of the very same PFA was implemented under their leadership.”
Nkosi said the current agreement is not new, as its foundation was laid nearly a decade ago.
He explained that a 2015 settlement agreement, reached after a five-month Pick-up strike, committed the City to phase in the revised salary-grading system starting in May the following year. According to Nkosi, this process was never fully honoured, leaving workers underpaid for years.
He added that the City of Johannesburg is graded as a Category A (Grade 10) municipality, which determines the salary scale for both councillors and employees.
“Our councillors, including DA councillors, are paid according to that Grade 10 salary scale. But when it comes to employees of the City—who should also be paid at that level—it becomes an issue,” he said.
Nkosi said he was shocked by the DA’s recent stance.
“That’s why I’m saying these councillors or the DA itself… we are quite shocked by their actions. They don’t want to get to the gist of the matter or seek clarity on how we arrived at the R10.3 billion amount,” said Nkosi.
He reiterated that municipal workers have been underpaid since 2016 due to the City’s failure to compensate staff according to the correct municipal grading.
“We are going to receive our money as municipal workers. The City of Johannesburg, in short, has been underpaying workers since 2016. We are not paid according to the right category or salary scale, yet councillors in Johannesburg are paid at that level,” Nkosi said.
Nkosi said SAMWU is preparing a formal response to the DA’s allegations.
The City of Johannesburg has been asked to comment. Its response will be added once received.
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