Strike looms in Nelson Mandela Bay — Samwu warns of governance breakdown

The South African Municipal Workers’ Union (Samwu) has called on the Nelson Mandela Bay municipality to urgently resolve its governance challenges, warning that ongoing dysfunction is having a negative ripple effect on staff and could push workers into protest action.

Union representatives are in talks with members across various directorates, with feedback to be consolidated and discussed at a general meeting scheduled for June.

Samwu regional chair Phumzile Tshuni said the union would use the upcoming general meeting to decide on possible strike action, following discussions with the office of the city manager and Mayor Babalwa Lobishe, that she said had yielded no positive outcome.

“Samwu will organise a general meeting and we will respond directly. If we must take action and go to the streets, we will not hesitate to do that,” Tshuni said. “We have discussed with management at a boardroom level, and now it’s high time for Samwu to go to the streets, but we will take this mandate to the general membership first.”

The union’s leadership was briefing the media at its regional offices in Gqeberha, where regional secretary Siphokazi Lobishe, the mayor’s sister, also addressed workers’ concerns.

Filling of vacancies

Chief among their concerns, Siphokazi said, was the finalisation of the suspended city manager’s matter and the failure to fill the positions of executive directors.

“Samwu expresses concern regarding the continued failure by the municipality to fill critical senior management posts, including that of the city manager. The Metro has an acting city manager while the appointed Dr Noxolo Nqwazi is on suspension. The institution cannot run effectively with acting city managers, as each only comes for a shorter period. Council seems not to be willing to resolve the matter,” Siphokazi said.

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“None of the eight directorates has an executive director; all are headed by acting senior managers because council failed to adhere to the 30 June 2025 deadline to finalise the organisational structure.”

Cooperative governance and traditional affairs MEC Zolile Williams wrote to the City in March, directing it to allow Nqwazi to return to work after the City had failed to conduct disciplinary proceedings against her.

However, the City hit back, giving reasons why it would be detrimental for Nqwazi to return, as the matter she was suspended for had yet to be finalised in court.

The union’s concerns are echoed beyond the labour movement. The Nelson Mandela Bay Civil Society Coalition has called for a picket on Friday, 28 May 2026, outside the Feather Market Hall, with organisations including Cosatu, Saftu and Sanco among those demanding the appointment of a competent city manager and the filling of critical senior posts.

Local labour forum meeting affected

Siphokazi said the failure to appoint executive directors was also affecting the convening of scheduled local labour forum meetings, as acting incumbents did not attend, citing a lack of knowledge or interest.

“The forum is a bargaining structure in the municipality, and the attendance of senior managers is very important. The forum is not taken seriously; although it has a calendar of meetings for the year, its first meeting in 2026 was only held on 22 May. The failure of this forum has a bearing on the workers’ conditions of service, and other important decisions like policy review and leave encashment, to mention a few.”

Unresolved disciplinary cases

Siphokazi indicated that the prolonged delays in resolving disciplinary matters involving municipal employees were a major concern, as they contributed to wasteful expenditure.

“There are employees who have been on suspension for more than the 90 days stipulated in the disciplinary collective agreement clause 7.4,” she said.

The clause stipulates that the disciplinary hearing should commence as soon as reasonably possible, but no later than three months from the date of the municipal manager’s, or an authorised representative’s, decision to institute disciplinary proceedings.

“One official from infrastructure and engineering has been on suspension for five years now without a disciplinary hearing being concluded. Two other employees at budget and treasury have been on suspension for more than three months, and their suspension [has been] extended,” Siphokazi said.

“This is wasteful expenditure, as the employees are on suspension on full pay while someone else is paid to act in their positions.”

Tools of the trade

Siphokazi said municipal workers were at the forefront of service delivery, and that they should be provided with tools of the trade and protective clothing.

“This includes a conducive work environment. When the municipality fails to provide these, it puts employees’ lives at risk. Officials who are given the responsibility to ensure that there are tools of the trade, fail to do that, and there are no consequences for non-compliance and mediocrity.”

She said the union was also concerned about tensions within the troika (mayor, speaker and chief whip) that affected governance and decision-making in the institution, which would eventually have an impact on service delivery and the effective running of the city.

“The scenes we observed in the Cogta parliamentary committee are putting the metro in a bad light. We call upon these offices to put the workers and residents of this metro first, before their party politics.”

Siphokazi said Samwu remained committed to constructive engagement in pursuit of sustainable solutions.

“However, the union will not support unilateral actions, governance failures or unsafe and unfair working conditions that undermine workers and the communities they serve.” DM