Protest halts refuse service

No collection today as workers down tools over pay, bonuses THE Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality has warned that refuse will not be collected today as a protest by workers enters its second day. Refuse was not collected in several areas yesterday as workers downed tools and protested at the Port Elizabeth city centre.

They are demanding a year’s back pay for overtime worked and long-service bonuses which they say are owed to them. About 500 workers blocked traffic in the CBD with more than 20 refuse trucks and tried to get into the city hall where a budget and treasury committee meeting was being held. They also scattered rubbish all over Vuyisile Mini Square. At about 10am, workers were called into a meeting with officials and spent hours in talks. However, later in the afternoon Samwu regional secretary Mqondisi Nodongwe emerged from the meeting saying they had not reached an agreement with management. “Management did not give us surety of whether the money would be paid or not,” he said. “They said they still needed to meet with the city manager.

“So we cannot give proper feedback to our members. “So the protest continues.” One of the protesting workers, who refused to be named, said: “We just want what is owed to us. We also have families who depend on us. “How are we supposed to look after them?” Yesterday afternoon, municipal spokesman Mthubanzi Mniki said the municipality had no contingency plan for refuse collection. “We ask residents not to take out their refuse bags today. “We apologise for this inconvenience.”