Group Human Capital Management initially requested about R15bln for personnel costs, but Group Financial Services approved approximately R13mln following affordability and budget scrutiny.
The city says the approved allocation is sufficient to meet anticipated employee-related expenditure and that it has not identified a material risk of overspending at this stage.
Tshwane City says that the R13bln allocation includes R229mln for filling vacancies and R362 mln for salary back-pay obligations during the financial year.
The difference between the initial request and approved allocation should not be interpreted as an unfunded liability or salary shortfall.
The city emphasises that employee-related expenditure will continue to be closely monitored to ensure personnel costs remain within the approved budget.
Should spending trends require additional funding, the city says this can be addressed through established processes, including the adjustments budget.
The South African Municipal Workers’ Union says it is still working to reach an agreement with Msunduzi Municipality following a renewed strike by municipal workers.
The South African Municipal Workers’ Union says it is still trying to reach an agreement with the Msunduzi Municipality.
On Thursdays, workers downed tools as part of an ongoing labour dispute – with the municipality saying the strike affected service delivery across the city.
SAMWU‘s Bongi Gule says the latest strike follows an earlier work stoppage in June, which was suspended after the union and municipality agreed on eight issues.
She says the union then tried to get the agreement signed, but the municipality failed to come on board – leading to the strike resuming.
“We’ve agreed with the municipality that on Monday we must finalize this thing. We’re not too sure whether they will sign, because I cannot confirm at the moment whether they will sign or not, because that’s what they did last time.
“They said they will sign and then they didn’t. But still we are hoping that on Monday everything will be finalized.”
The municipality has meanwhile condemned the alleged intimidation of staff, damage to municipal infrastructure and any actions that infringe on the rights of others.
It says the right to strike does not give anyone the right to intimidate employees, damage public property or compromise the safety and freedom of residents and other workers.
The municipality is appealing for restraint and patience from residents and businesses while engagements with SAMWU continue.
Venetia Mine in South Africa Image Credits: Handout via Reuters
Members of labour union, National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) are calling for the resignation of Venetia diamond mine’s general manager Ntokozo Ngema.
The call was made during a march to the mine’s operations in All Days, outside Musina in Limpopo.
The mine has served over 1 000 workers with notices of retrenchments. A number of off-duty workers were joined by NUM members from various regions across the province in protest against the impending retrenchments.
However, NUM regional organizer Emmanuel Mohale believes the mine’s decision is as a result of austerity measures.
“The reason why we are saying that this manager must go. This manager has failed this mine, dismally so. There is R13.6 billion which the mine has lost under his auspices, under his supervision. Since he has came here, there was a lot of retrenchment which has happened, with inclusive of the contractors. You can look on the Murray and Robert, we lost 1 500 under his management. Again, with the employees of the mine, last year we lost 185. And he’s unable to tell us where did this R13.6 billion went to.”
This includes back pay to the date the lecturers achieved applicable qualifications for a raise
Five Ingwe TVET College lecturers are to receive salary adjustments and back pay after a three-year battle. File picture: (123RF/marwphoto)
Five lecturers at Ingwe TVET College in the Eastern Cape are to receive salary adjustments and back pay after a three-year battle with the department of higher education.
The South African Democratic Teachers’ Union (Sadtu) said it had secured the notch adjustment after the lecturers were left waiting despite obtaining qualifications that entitled them to higher salaries.
The union said the lecturers were employed at the college at REQV 13 level but obtained the necessary qualifications between 2019 and 2020 to qualify for REQV 14, including the applicable cash bonuses.
In 2024, Sadtu approached the Education Labour Relations Council (ELRC), asking it to determine whether the department had committed an unfair labour practice by failing to adjust the lecturers’ salary notches after they submitted their qualifications between 2019 and 2022.
During arbitration proceedings, the department conceded that the lecturers qualified for the salary adjustment because they had obtained the required qualifications.
The ELRC then ordered the department to adjust the salary notches and pay the money owed to them. The adjustments were to be backdated to the dates the lecturers obtained their qualifications, while one lecturer’s adjustment was to start from the date of employment.
But the matter did not end there.
Sadtu said the department failed to comply with the arbitration award, forcing the union to take the matter to the labour court.
On July 24, the court ordered the department to appear virtually on August 28 to show why it should not be found guilty of contempt for failing to comply with the ELRC award. While waiting for the labour court proceedings, the lecturers received supplementary payslips confirming that their salary notches would be adjusted.
For Sadtu general secretary Mugwena Maluleke, the development was a victory for the union and the educators it represents.
“The defence of educator rights and the advancement of learner rights are inseparable tasks of a teachers’ union,” said Maluleke.
Sadtu remained committed to building a strong union in the TVET sector and challenging policies and management practices it viewed as undemocratic and anti-worker.
The union said it welcomed the resolution and would continue working to ensure its members received the salaries, benefits and working conditions to which they were entitled.
Imatu shop steward Thulani Nzimande said workers who had stayed on the job were being made to bear the financial consequences of a dispute in which they were not involved.
IMATU shop steward Thulani Nzimande confronted Msunduzi Municipality officials at the city’s council chambers yesterday morning over delayed salary payments to municipal employees amid the strike led by the South African Municipal Workers’ Union (SAMWU). PHOTO: SUPPLIED
Tempers flared at Msunduzi Municipality’s council chambers on Monday as workers demanded answers over delayed salaries, with some saying bounced debit orders had left them facing financial penalties.
Mayor Mzimkhulu Thebolla apologised to employees for the delay but insisted it was not because the municipality had run out of money.
He blamed disruption caused by the ongoing strike, saying officials had been unable to complete the processes needed to release salaries on time.
“The delay in the payment of salaries is not because the municipality has no money,” Thebolla said.
Shop stewards from the Independent Municipal and Allied Trade Union (Imatu), representing employees who were not participating in the strike, confronted municipal officials shortly before a scheduled media briefing.
Imatu shop steward Thulani Nzimande said workers who had stayed on the job were being made to bear the financial consequences of a dispute in which they were not involved.
“Their debit orders bounced because their salaries were not paid. Why punish people who are not part of the strike?” Nzimande asked.
He said affected workers faced additional costs from banks and other service providers.
“Those debit orders will accrue penalties, and we expect the municipality to deal with those penalties,” he said.
Nzimande said shop stewards had earlier gone to municipal manager Felani Mndebele’s office seeking an explanation but were unhappy with his response.
We went to the City manager’s office seeking to be addressed by him, but he said he had no time for us. How can he not have time for us, yet he has time to hold our salaries?
“He further told us to go seek answers from Samwu, and that was unprofessional for him to say that,” he said.
He said Imatu had a right to be recognised and represent its members.
The confrontation continued inside the council chamber before Deputy Mayor Mxolisi Mkhize intervened and urged them to leave the chamber so he could address them outside.
Police maintained a presence outside while Church Street remained blocked by employees continuing their strike action over several issues.
Samwu chairperson in Msunduzi Brandon George said municipal employees had initially not received their salaries in the morning, although some payments began reflecting around midday.
Employees said the delay had caused anxiety for households with monthly financial commitments.
Nompumelelo Dladla said workers were worried and disturbed by the situation.
Another employee, who asked not to be named, said the impact went beyond bounced debit orders.
Besides debit orders, we have families to care for; we have school-going children to worry about.
“We received no communication from the city management alerting us to the non-payment of our salaries,” the employee said.
Thebolla said the industrial action had prevented officials from accessing municipal premises and completing the administrative, financial, verification and authorisation processes required before salaries could be released.
He said municipal leadership had held five meetings since Tuesday the previous week in an effort to resolve the dispute.
Thebolla said agreement had been reached on all 10 issues under discussion with union representatives, with the parties expected to sign an agreement soon.
DA caucus leader Ross Strachan disputed the municipality’s explanation, saying the salary delays reflected wider financial pressures facing Msunduzi.
“There simply isn’t enough money flowing through the municipality to meet all of its financial obligations,” Strachan said.
He warned that continued disruption could further undermine revenue collection, payments and service delivery.
The ACDP also called for an end to the strike, saying the municipality was already in dire financial straits and service delivery was at an all-time low.
Transport Minister Barbara Creecy has extended the notice period for the retrenchment of employees at the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) to allow the Ministerial Task Team more time to explore alternatives.
Of the 580 affected employees, 43 have accepted early retirement packages, while 102 have been matched and placed in identified vacancies across PRASA divisions and departments.
A further 208 Protection Services employees have been ring-fenced pending the conclusion of engagements with Transnet on the transfer of stations and related assets.
The Department of Transport said a formal notice for the transfer of assets has been issued and that the parties are working to conclude the process as soon as possible.
“Creecy has extended the Section 189 notice period until the end of August 2026 to allow the Task Team to explore alternatives for the remaining 227 employees,” the department said in a statement on Wednesday.
The Task Team was appointed on 2 June 2026 and comprises representatives from the Department of Transport, organised labour and PRASA management.
“PRASA initiated a consultation process in terms of Sections 189 and 189A of the Labour Relations Act in November 2025, following a business decision to address excess staffing levels within its Long-Distance Passenger Services.
“The consultation process was facilitated by the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) and included formal engagements with the United National Transport Union (UNTU) and the South African Transport and Allied Workers Union (SATAWU),” the department said. – SAnews.gov.za
Transport Minister Barbara Creecy has extended the notice period for the retrenchment of employees at the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) to allow the Ministerial Task Team more time to explore alternatives.