An "illegal labour dispute" at the Nelson Mandela Bay electricity and energy department will affect electricity supply this weekend.
Subsequently, electricity related faults in the metro will only be attended too after the dispute is resolved as the call centre for the directorate is also affected.
“The municipality wishes to inform residents and business that the electricity and energy directorate is currently experiencing an illegal labour dispute due to demands for scarce skills allowance,” the municipality said in a statement.
“This has resulted to participating employees going on a tools down.
“This illegal strike has not only disrupted normal day to day operations but has affected the electricity and energy call centre.
“The municipality is thus exploring emergency measures to mitigate power outages and supply in the metro.
“Due to the unpredictability of labour disputes, it’s not clear when the employees will return to work, thus disruptions to service delivery may occur over the weekend.”
The statement advised residents to contact their ward councillor or call 080 020 5050 should they experience electricity challenges.
About four wards in Motherwell are experiencing power outages, with no staff to attend to the issues.
Ward 55 councillor Thanduxolo Doda said electricity issues were yet to be resolved since staff downed tools on Thursday.
“It's the weekend now, the residents are frustrated because when it's dark criminals target certain areas within the ward and as we know police can't be everywhere they're needed.”
When contacted on Friday, SA municipal workers union (Samwu) regional secretary Melikhaya Kortjan said he was out of town and was not fully aware what the dispute was about.
He directed question to Samwu regional chair Mzwandile Toyis who could not be reached by the time of publication.
This is a developing story.
HeraldLIVE
Nelson Mandela Bay municipal labour dispute to affect electricity supply
Image: 123RF/mushroomsartthree
An "illegal labour dispute" at the Nelson Mandela Bay electricity and energy department will affect electricity supply this weekend.
Subsequently, electricity related faults in the metro will only be attended too after the dispute is resolved as the call centre for the directorate is also affected.
“The municipality wishes to inform residents and business that the electricity and energy directorate is currently experiencing an illegal labour dispute due to demands for scarce skills allowance,” the municipality said in a statement.
“This has resulted to participating employees going on a tools down.
“This illegal strike has not only disrupted normal day to day operations but has affected the electricity and energy call centre.
“The municipality is thus exploring emergency measures to mitigate power outages and supply in the metro.
“Due to the unpredictability of labour disputes, it’s not clear when the employees will return to work, thus disruptions to service delivery may occur over the weekend.”
The statement advised residents to contact their ward councillor or call 080 020 5050 should they experience electricity challenges.
About four wards in Motherwell are experiencing power outages, with no staff to attend to the issues.
Ward 55 councillor Thanduxolo Doda said electricity issues were yet to be resolved since staff downed tools on Thursday.
“It's the weekend now, the residents are frustrated because when it's dark criminals target certain areas within the ward and as we know police can't be everywhere they're needed.”
When contacted on Friday, SA municipal workers union (Samwu) regional secretary Melikhaya Kortjan said he was out of town and was not fully aware what the dispute was about.
He directed question to Samwu regional chair Mzwandile Toyis who could not be reached by the time of publication.
This is a developing story.
HeraldLIVE
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