City of Tshwane on brink of collapse, warns Xiluva

Xiluva is calling on the city of Tshwane to come up with alternative solutions that will maintain the provision of services to its residents, amid the ongoing strike by SAMWU municipal workers.

The party’s Gauteng Provincial Coordinator, Oupa Mathibela, in a statement said that “the DA-led coalition has transformed the city of Tshwane and its townships into dumping sites, causing inconveniences to its citizens who have been struggling to receive vital services for months.”

He challenged the Democratic Alliance (DA) to take full responsibility for the current state of affairs in Tshwane.

On Wednesday, a driver of a water tanker truck was physically assaulted but managed to escape without sustaining any serious injuries.

The MMC for Human Settlements Cllr Ofentse Madzebatela explained that “due to the violent nature of the unprotected strike, the Tshwane Metro Police Department (TMPD) usually escorts water tankers when they do their rounds.

“This time the TMPD delayed to arrive and the driver drove out on his own from Prince’s Park Depot to Region 4 where the delivery of much-needed water was supposed to be made,” Madzebatela said.

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Following the unrest, Xiluva urged the DA “to reconsider and reinstate the over 100 employees who were fired as this decision has resulted in heightened tension between the employees and the municipality.”

“Similarly, [South African Municipal Workers Union] SAMWU should take measures to prevent its members from intimidating non-striking workers and damaging municipal property and infrastructure,” Xiluva stated.

The city has since opened a criminal case with the South African Police Service.

“It is now clear that the city is no longer dealing with an illegal strike action, we are now dealing with a well-coordinated criminal attack on our infrastructure. Therefore, I would like to urge law enforcement agencies to act with haste and bring these criminals to book,” said Cllr Madzebatela.