The Durban Central Business District (CBD) in KwaZulu-Natal is currently facing a major challenge with rubbish strewn and piling up due to an ongoing illegal and unprotected strike by employees of the eThekwini municipality.
This strike, organized by the South African Municipal Workers Union (SAMWU), has seen thousands of municipal workers downing tools in various departments, including water, electricity, and Durban Solid Waste.
The disruption of services caused by protesting workers overturning refuse bins has left the CBD in a state of disarray. In response to this crisis, Premier Nomusa Dube-Ncube and eThekwini Mayor Mxolisi Kaunda are expected to address the residents of eThekwini.
The briefing will outline coordinated interventions that will be implemented jointly by the provincial government and the municipality to ensure that the provision of services to citizens is not disrupted.
One of the key issues raised by the striking workers is the concern about their salaries, which they believe are not in line with what their counterparts in other metros are being paid.
The eThekwini municipality spokesperson, Gugu Silana, expressed the city’s concern about the impact of the unlawful strike on service delivery. Emergency contingency plans have been put in place to minimize service disruptions to residents and businesses.
This is Durban, South Africa. Why does it look like this? pic.twitter.com/355q7vBwHm
— Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) March 4, 2024
To maintain safety during this time, the municipality has implemented measures to ensure the wellbeing of municipal staff and residents. However, water and electricity provision, as well as refuse collection, have been negatively affected. The city has also deployed security personnel to strategic locations to monitor and guard critical infrastructure.
In addition to addressing the rubbish crisis, the municipality is urging the police to adopt a no-nonsense approach to those who abuse the right to strike and engage in unlawful behavior. They are determined to deal decisively with criminality and the destruction of infrastructure, both public and private, during the strike.
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