Xolile Nqatha, the MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (GoGTA) in the Eastern Cape, has denounced the unlawful and violent strike by certain employees of the Amathole District Municipality (ADM).
There has been a water problem in the towns as a result of certain ADM employees going on an unlawful strike.
The employees, according to the provincial CoGTA, reportedly damaged water infrastructure and shut off water valves that provided water to homes, businesses, government buildings, hospitals, and clinics.
The Transnet Phelophepa Health Train, which is now stationed in Raymond Mhlaba Local Municipality, has been negatively impacted by the unlawful strike as well.
“Workers need to understand that water is an essential service, and they don’t have a right to infringe on other people’s rights, especially from accessing water for our communities,” said CoGTA spokesperson Mamnkeli Ngam. “Whilst workers have a constitutional right to embark on strike or protest action.”
To see the harm done by this unlawful strike, Nqatha travelled to the affected communities and reservoirs in the Raymond Mhlaba and Amahlathi Local Municipality on Tuesday.
“Some of the things that have been done are pretty destructive, and they go toward crime because what is happening is criminality,” he added.
Since water is essential to life, it is illegal to deny our people access to it.
This is neither a justifiable action nor a revolutionary one.
The MEC urged all the impacted municipalities to make sure that misbehaviour has repercussions and that wrongdoers are held accountable.