Joel Masilela ka Mahlangu Tshwane ANC Regional Spokesperson photo by Dimakatso Modipa
By Joel Masilela ka Mahlangu
ANC Regional Spokesperson
The ANC Greater Tshwane Regional Executive Committee (REC) welcomes and commends the meaningful progress made by the City of Tshwane in rebuilding and stabilising relations with organised labour.
The City this week announced, in a joint media statement with trade unions SAMWU and IMATU, that the parties have agreed on the implementation of the 3.5% wage increase that had previously been concluded but was abandoned by the erstwhile Democratic Alliance–led coalition government, which had claimed the City could not afford to honour its obligations.
The ANC Greater Tshwane REC notes with disdain the failure by the previous DA-led administration to execute and sustain this important commitment to workers.
That failure did not merely constitute an administrative oversight, it undermined labour relations, weakened worker confidence, and stalled progress that could have long been achieved.
The latest development follows lengthy engagements at the South African Local Government Bargaining Council, culminating in the City’s decision to finally honour the agreement.
This corrective step represents a significant intervention that is expected to positively shift the morale of the City’s 21,089 municipal workers.
Improved worker confidence and stability are directly linked to enhanced productivity and, ultimately, to better and more reliable service delivery for the residents of our capital city.
The current implementation therefore corrects a historical injustice and restores institutional credibility and shows political will to solve a
complex issue.
The ANC Greater Tshwane REC specifically applauds the Regional Chairperson of the ANC in the Greater Tshwane Region, Cde Eugene Modise, in his capacity as MMC for Finance and Deputy Executive Mayor in the City of Tshwane, for his tireless contribution and steady leadership towards securing this important resolution.
His hands-on approach and commitment to constructive engagement have been instrumental in restoring confidence between the City and organised labour.
It is important to emphasise that the claim made in 2021 that the City could simply not afford to meet this obligation was not borne out by the full financial reality facing the municipality.
Rather, it reflected a policy posture that placed austerity ahead of the legitimate livelihood concerns of municipal workers.
This intervention must be understood as far beyond narrow politicking.
It speaks directly to the dignity,
livelihood and economic security of thousands of workers who keep the capital city functioning daily.
When municipal workers are treated fairly and agreements are honoured, the entire governance ecosystem benefits from workplace stability to the quality of frontline service delivery experienced by communities.
The ANC reiterates its longstanding position that sustainable investment and economic growth cannot be built on the erosion of workers’ rights or the weakening of collective bargaining.
Respect for labour agreements remains a cornerstone of a developmental state committed to inclusive growth.
The ANC further expresses its appreciation to its deployees in the City of Tshwane, led by Regional Chairperson Eugene Modise, for working with coalition partners to correct the antagonistic labour posture inherited from the previous administration and to place the City back on a path of stability and cooperative governance.
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