Central SA
Matjhabeng workers strike for third day over unpaid salaries─── KEKELETSO MOSEBETSI 12:20 Fri, 27 Oct 2023
“Workers have continued to disrupt operations at the headquarters of Matjhabeng as they continue to burn tyres and protest outside the building in demand of immediate salary payments.”
Service delivery in the Matjhabeng Local Municipality in the Free State has been heavily impacted by employee strikes as they continue to demonstrate their frustrations over unpaid salaries.
The protest over unpaid salaries of workers of the ailing Welkom-based municipality entered its third day since Wednesday (25/10). Workers have shut down operations at the headquarters of Matjhabeng as they continue to burn tyres and protest outside the building in demand of immediate salary payments.
Matjhabeng workers continue with protests over unpaid October salaries. Photo supplied
During a media briefing held at the headquarters of Matjhabeng on Wednesday (25/10), mayor Thanduxolo Khalipha disclosed the municipality had 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.
Matjhabeng Mayor, Thanduxolo Khalipha, addressing media on progress made since taking over the office. Photo: Kekeletso Mosebetsi
The High Court in Johannesburg on Thursday (26/10) struck off the roll of an urgent application of an appeal launched by the municipality after the same court ordered the municipal account to be attached. The court struck the Matjhabeng matter off the roll due to a lack of urgency. It’s understood that the municipality will now be approaching a well-known bank to have it release money so that workers can be paid.
The headquarters of the Welkom-based Matjhabeng Local Municipality. Photo: Kekeletso Mosebetsi
