The SAMWU Makana strike has reached day 11, with little prospect of an end any time soon -unless their demands are met by the Makana Municipality’s management. Worker’s defied a court interdict issued on 7 July, 2014, advising them to disband the strike and obtain legal advice.
The SAMWU Makana strike has reached day 11, with little prospect of an end any time soon -unless their demands are met by the Makana Municipality’s management. Worker’s defied a court interdict issued on 7 July, 2014, advising them to disband the strike and obtain legal advice.
The day after the National Arts Festival ended saw the streets of Grahamstown scattered with rubbish. Festival stall owners say that they have paid so it’s not their responsibility to pick up rubbish. One of the striking municipal workers who wanted to remain anonymous said, “I want to see who is going to pick up the rubbish because they do not want to pay us – the people who actually usually do it and are willing to do the work.”
When Wandile Durhuwa, one of the union leaders, was addressing the crowd on 14 July, 2014, he said that the strikers should not let their fighting spirit die. He said that now that the Festival was over, the strike is going to be felt and as SAMWU members they should not back down but continue fighting.
The crowd in front of the City Hall then erupted in song in support of Durhuwa’s comments. A few minutes later Colonel Monray Nel went inside the City Hall and then came out wanting to talk to the SAMWU leaders. Nel urged the leaders to tell their fellow SAMWU members to stop striking because the strike is illegal.
The leaders, however, told him they will not stop striking. After a quarrel with the leaders, Nel left the area, followed by the leaders. No arrests were made. Vukile Silinga, part of the Makana SAMWU leadership, returned to the City Hall and told strikers that it had been agreed with Nel that as long as the strikers do not disturb the peace, there would be no further action taken by the police.
