Striking traffic police defend their actions

The nearly 400 Ekurhuleni Metro Police (EMPD) officers who were served pre-dismissal letters last week are currently awaiting their fates.

These municipal employees participated in strike action earlier this year, blocking off major routes such as the N3, N17, and R21 in protest for better pay and working conditions.

Under the South African Police Service Act, it’s illegal for police officers to go on strike as they are viewed as essential workers.

The EMPD staff who were identified as part of the march were therefore handed pre-dismissal letters in early May, and were confiscated of their service vehicles.

These letters notified the workers of their impending dismissal and the reason thereof, granting them until Friday, 9 May 2025, to respond to the allegations.

Speaking to SABC News, Chris Mavunda of the South African Municipal Workers’ Union (Samwu) said that the entity is currently engaged with the City of Ekurhuleni to find and amicable solution to the impasse.

Samwu represents the majority of government workers on a national level, as well as the bulk of the EMPD workforce.

“It is regrettable that we happen to find ourselves in this kind of situation as municipal workers,” said Mavunda.

“However, we are comforted by the fact that both parties, in this instance the City of Ekurhuleni and Samwu, are assisting with the matter in finding an amicable solution to what happened on the 19th of March 2025.”

Without downplaying the seriousness of the strike, Mavunda defended the actions of the EMPD workers who are Samwu members.

He claims there are instigators within the EMPD who coerced their peers to down tools for personal gain.

“We can safely say our members were misled by faceless and urgent provocateurs for their personal interest and for their selfish interest and opportunistic reasons,” said Mavunda.

“As Samwu, we have not convened a strike, we have not called for the strike.”

He further questioned whether the EMPD officers’ actions can even be classified as a strike.

He noted that the law around essential workers going on strike is more nuanced than meets the eye.

Once someone is declared an essential worker, the organised labour union and the employer will conclude what is called a minimum service level agreement.

“[This agreement] will say out of 10 nurses, or 10 metro police officers, this is the number that will go on strike, and the others will remain maintaining the service delivery,” said Mavunda.

“That’s the first thing you do with essential service workers. They have a right, and that right cannot be taken away.”

He added that Samwu recently received a letter through the local government bargaining council which allegedly cites the City of Ekurhuleni as one of the municipalities that has not concluded its minimum service level agreement on essential services.

This is part of the matters that are being discussed by the union and the City during their negotiations.

“The reality is that there was an activity that happened on the day, as to whether it qualifies to be called a strike, it’s a matter that can be discussed,” said Mavunda.

Samwu’s top priority is to save the jobs of its members who were “misled” as they have since “come to their senses,” said Mavunda.

He alleges that many EMPD officers who want to come back to work are being threatened by these faceless provocateurs and told that they will face severe consequences if they cooperate with the municipal government.

Mavunda reiterated that both Samwu and the City of Ekurhuleni have showed a mutual willingness to retain as many employees as possible.

Safety concerns for Ekurhuleni motorists

While these discussions are ongoing behind closed doors, the provincial government has voiced concerns for Ekurhuleni motorists who may now be more vulnerable to crime and less inclined to follow the rules.

The Gauteng Provincial Legislature’s Portfolio Committee on Community Safety urged the City of Ekurhuleni to implement immediate contingency measures to mitigate the impact of the suspensions.

The Committee acknowledged Ekurhuleni’s responsibility to take disciplinary action against employees implicated in serious misconduct.

However, it said the mass suspension of these officers poses a significant risk to public safety, traffic management, and the enforcement of municipal by-laws.

“The sudden reduction in law enforcement capacity may leave residents vulnerable and exacerbate challenges in maintaining order on the roads and in communities across the city,” said the committee.

“A prolonged impasse between the municipality and its employees will only deepen service delivery challenges and undermine public safety.”