Parts of Durban have been without water for several days after works at the water and waste water depots in Pinetown and Springfield went on strike

The municipality is reportedly in the process of applying for a court interdict to force striking water and sanitation workers to go back to work.

The striking workers are demanding that their salaries be elevated to grade 10. They claim that MK veterans employed in 2016 were unfairly upgraded to from grade 4.

Independent task team to be established

eThekwini City Manager Sipho Nzuza says the city has met with the leadership of the South African Municipal Workers Union (SAMWU) and agreed to assemble an independent task team that should look at the entire process leading to the appointment to avoid any instability at the workplace

Nzuza has also urged all workers who have embarked on an industrial action to resume their duties with immediate effect, and assured that the municipality will do everything in its power to guard against the disruption of service delivery.

“I believe in an open door policy and at all times I always ask our employees to follow legitimate internal channels to draw our attention as management to their grievances. This is their city and it does not help anyone to compromise service delivery with these strikes because it is the same communities they hail from that are going to suffer,” said Nzuza.

“There are internal HR processes that our employees know that require to be followed in the event they feel there is a need to be re-graded. Workers are discouraged from burning tyres and hindering service delivery as management is committed to finding a solution to the current challenges.”