Tshwane Mayor Moya’s first 100 days: Tough talks, wage and water woes

City of Tshwane Mayor, Dr Nasiphi Moya, on Monday said the City has been navigating significant financial challenges that necessitate tough decisions regarding wage increases under the South African Local Government Association (Salga) Collective Agreement.

Moya spoke about the City’s spaza shop regulations, Hammanskraal water access, and the Labour Court update regarding salary increases for municipal workers and the deal to pay off its debt to Eskom during her 100 days in the office feedback briefing.

“On 21 and 22 November, we appeared before the Labour Court to review decisions by the panellist dismissing our applications for exemption from the 3.5% and 5.4% wage increases for the first and third years of the agreement, respectively. We believe these decisions overlooked the City’s financial constraints and broader implications for service delivery,” she said.

Tshwane wages in limbo, says Moya

Moya said the City sought a fresh evaluation by a new panellist about the 3.5% wage increase.

“For the 5.4% increase, we have asked the Labour Court to substitute the panellist’s decision, considering the available evidence. These matters remain under judicial consideration, and we are optimistic that the court will recognise the City’s unique financial challenges. Judgement was reserved in both matters,” she added.

Moya said the City remained open to engaging with unions and other stakeholders to explore sustainable solutions.

“However, our primary responsibility is to ensure financial stability while fulfilling our commitments to residents,” she said.

Brink responds to ANC-led coalition’s salary stand

DA Tshwane Caucus Leader Cilliers Brink reacted to the mayor’s 100 days in office and said the reality has hit home for the ANC-led coalition as they decided to proceed with the fight in the Labour Court to not pay historical salary increases to city officials.

Brink said the ANC actively raised expectations that these increases would be paid once the ANC was in charge.

“While the ANC and ActionSA voted to forgo salary increases in 2023, they later tried to weaponise the matter against my mayoralty. ‘Just pay the workers’ was a familiar attack on me and my colleagues when we were making difficult decisions about the city’s financial recovery, despite the ANC and ActionSA voting against the increases,” he said.

Government jobs pay 35% more than private Sector

Political analyst Piet Croucamp said Cilliers had a point.

“Salary increases on all government levels, central, provincial and local, have been unsustainable for years. Working for the government is more profitable than working in the private sector.

Croucamp said if you worked for the government, you earned 35% more than working in the private sector.

“It is unsustainable and has become the eighth wonder of the world. The ANC and South Africa have realised this. The unfortunate thing is that it’s unsustainable and only hits home when there’s no money left,” he said.

Croucamp said it was a hard lesson for the city of Tshwane and every minister in the sector who has to deal with finances.