Tshepiso Modiba ActionSA Tshwane Caucus Spokesperson
By Cllr Tshepiso Modiba
ActionSA Tshwane Caucus Spokesperson
When Dr Nasiphi Moya assumed office as Executive Mayor of Tshwane in October 2024, she stood before the city’s workforce and made a clear, unequivocal commitment: under her administration, the workers of Tshwane would be a priority.
This was not a vague political platitude, but a pledge rooted in the understanding that a city cannot function, let alone thrive, if those who serve it are demoralised, disrespected, and disregarded.
Today, I stand to applaud Mayor Moya and her administration for honouring that pledge.
The recent settlement agreement securing a 3.5% salary increase for our hardworking municipal employees is a testament to a leadership that listens, negotiates in good faith, and understands the value of its people.
This achievement is significant, not merely for the percentage, but for what it represents: a restoration of dignity and a recognition of the critical role our workers play in delivering services to the residents of Tshwane.
This outcome stands in stark, damning contrast to the disgraceful conduct of the previous DA-led administration under the failed mayor, Cilliers Brink.
That administration did not negotiate; it antagonised.
It did not seek settlement; it created stalemate.
The deliberate stalling of the salary increment was not an act of fiscal prudence, but a blatant political tactic to punish workers and undermine collective bargaining.
It was an administration that viewed its employees as a cost to be minimised, not as partners to be valued.
The DA’s tenure was marked by an uncaring, ideological obsession with outsourcing and contracted services, often at the direct expense of permanent staff and their well-being.
They prioritised the profits of external contractors over the livelihoods of the men and women who clean our streets, maintain our infrastructure, and keep our communities safe.
This created a climate of insecurity and resentment, which inevitably corroded service delivery and public trust.
Mayor Moya’s administration, facing the very real and inherited financial challenges of the
city, chose a different path.
They understood a fundamental truth: for the City to work, the workers must be happy and motivated.
You cannot expect quality service delivery from a workforce that feels besieged by its own leadership.
By engaging sincerely with labour
unions and reaching this agreement, the administration has not only fulfilled a promise but has laid a foundation for stability, cooperation, and improved performance.
This settlement is more than a line item in a budget; it is an investment in morale, in productivity, and in the social contract between the city and its servants.
It sends a powerful message that the era of punitive, worker-dismissive governance is over.
The failed DA administration’s legacy is one of conflict and neglect.
The Moya administration is building a legacy of respect, dialogue, and shared purpose.
We have kept our promise to prioritise workers, and in doing so, we are prioritising the recovery and future
of Tshwane itself.
The workers are the backbone of this city, and finally, they have a
leadership that has the backbone to support them.
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