Editorial: Resolve metro strike speedily

A SPEEDY resolution to the current protest by municipal workers must be found.

With refuse not collected yesterday and no collection scheduled for today, a situation similar to the one playing out in East London could well become a reality in Nelson Mandela Bay.

In East London, the streets are a cesspool of broken bottles, black bags and rotting rubbish.

Workers in the Bay are demanding a year’s back-pay for overtime worked and long-service bonuses.

The protest could not have come at a worse time for the municipality.

Just weeks ago, the municipality made promises to start weekly refuse collection services in previously unserviced areas.

Parts of the northern areas, New Brighton, Kwazakhele, Zwide and sections of KwaNobuhle are now all due for collection.

The municipality further plans to roll the programme out to the rest of the townships at the beginning of the next financial year, which starts on July 1.

But now the municipality faces a city-wide collection boycott – and they have no contingency plan in place.

Additional vehicles, equipment and manpower need to be made available should the protest continue.

Negotiations need to be undertaken as a matter of urgency.

While this takes place, union bosses need to ensure workers do not trash the city, no matter how valid their grievances may be.

Yesterday, about 500 workers with 20 trucks blocked Govan Mbeki Avenue, throwing rubbish all over Vuyisile Mini Square.

There is a danger of the protest turning more sinister, like in East London where violence has been witnessed.

While it is no secret that lower and mid-level government employees are underpaid, workers need to understand that sympathy wears thin when rubbish is strewn across streets.

Concerted efforts must be made to avoid this.

For their part, the powers that be must do all they can to resolve this impasse and ensure municipal employees get back to work.