Legal Action Over ‘Unlawful’ Move to Re-Hire Dismissed 2023 Strike Workers in Tshwane
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PRETORIA — The Democratic Alliance (DA) has declared political war on Tshwane’s current coalition government, strongly opposing an alleged plan by the Mayoral Committee to reinstate municipal workers dismissed during the chaotic, unprotected strike of 2023.
The opposition party claims it has received credible internal confirmation that the Mayoral Committee—spearheaded by the ANC, EFF, and ActionSA coalition—is actively pressuring the City’s administration to bypass historical disciplinary rulings and place the axed employees back onto the metro's payroll.
A Trail of Destruction: Recalling the 2023 Strike
The illegal, three-month strike action in 2023 crippled the capital city and cost ratepayers millions in infrastructure damage. The industrial action turned exceptionally hostile when the previous DA-led administration attempted to secure a financial exemption from a centralized 3.5% wage hike agreement, citing severe fiscal distress.
The DA has reminded residents of the high-stakes lawlessness that unfolded during that period, pointing to specific criminal acts:
Infrastructure Sabotage: Multiple municipal and emergency vehicles were torched, and critical water and electricity networks were deliberately vandalized.
Frontline Violence: Intimidation was widespread, culminating in an incident where a working municipal employee was shot while attempting to perform duties.
Service Delivery Blackout: Routine refuse
removal, public transport networks, and municipal electricity grids were fully blocked for several weeks, leaving local businesses and residents stranded.
"We sent a clear message that violence is not a legitimate form of negotiation, and that intimidation and destruction would not be tolerated as bargaining tools inside the municipality," the DA stated, defending its past decision to execute mass dismissals.
Threat of Personal Liability and Court Battles
The DA warns that reverse-engineering these dismissals sets a dangerous precedent for future labor disputes in South Africa, effectively signaling that public property destruction can be used as leverage with zero long-term consequences.
The party has formally written to Tshwane City Manager Johann Mettler, issuing a stern warning that any attempt to finalize these reinstatements will face immediate, aggressive litigation in the Labour Court.
Furthermore, the DA warned Mayoral Committee members pushing the directive that they will be held personally and financially accountable for pushing "unlawful instructions" onto the city's administrative accounting officers.
The party concluded by promising voters that any unlawful rehiring processes finalized by the current coalition will be immediately overturned should the DA regain full control of the metro during the upcoming Local Government Elections on 4 November 2026.
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