The protest over the unpaid salaries by disgruntled workers at the Matjhabeng Local Municipality in the Free State entered into the second day on Thursday (26/10).

Municipal workers are staging a protest inside the premises of the Welkom-based municipality. 

Tsietsi Samuel Liphoko a shop steward at Matjhabeng Municipality leading a protest over unpaid salaries

This is because the municipality failed to pay the salaries of workers due to an attached account as a result of a legal battle between the municipality and service providers who are demanding R750 million from the troubled municipality. Dan Mana from the South African Municipal Workers Union told OFM News the workers are continuing with the protest.

Mana said the situation remains the same and the Mayor Thanduxolo Khalipha has yet to address workers. During a media briefing on Wednesday (25/10) at the municipality headquarters Khalipha said if not paid by today he would join the workers on the picket lines and protest alongside them. 

During this media briefing yesterday Khalipa also told Journalists the municipality was upbeat about repaying huge debts to Eskom and Vaal Central Water Board. Matjhabeng owes Eskom R5 billion and Vaal Central Water Board even more.

Mana from Lejweputswa Samwu also told OFM News that the municipality owes millions of rands to third-party contributions. This includes provident funds and medical aid among others. He said a few years back the municipality owed the contribution about R5 million to R10 million.

OFM News