Tshwane says service delivery won’t be impacted by backdated salary pay deal

The City of Tshwane Municipality said service delivery won’t be affected as it prepares to pay over R1 billion in backdated salary increases owed to workers since 2021.

In 2022, the municipality reneged on an agreement to pay a 3.5% in salary increase to workers.

However, after years of litigation, the municipality has agreed to pay the increases to its more than 21,000 employees.

At a media briefing on Thursday, Tshwane Finance MMC Eugene Modise outlined the payments will be staggered over the next three financial years.

“No frontline services have been defunded. No core infrastructure programmes have been withdrawn. This settlement has been structured within a budget that is funded, which continues to prioritise electricity stability, water security and service delivery.”

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Former Finance MMC Jacqui Uys was part of the administration that refused to implement the salary increases in 2022.

Uys, who is also the Democratic Alliance (DA)’s caucus chief whip, said the money could have gone into strengthening the city’s service delivery output like hiring more plumbers and electricians.

“Worker morale also increases when you insure that people are not overworked, when you insure that people have got the tools of trade they need, which our water departments currently do not have, when you ensure people do not have to work around the clock, sometimes even during their own time, as what they need to do now.

“Worker morale is to ensure can continue to pay people’s salaries and not get into a position cannot pay salaries and those were the things we were taking into consideration.”