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The Democratic Alliance (DA) in the Kouga Municipality strongly condemns the recent deliberate acts of sabotage and destruction by ANC-backed SAMWU members.

Yesterday, 31 March 2021, two new refuse trucks were torched in Jeffreys Bay. Threats have been made by SAMWU to damage even more municipal infrastructure.

We have also noticed a concerning increase in damage caused to municipal pump stations and electrical substations.

The DA believes that sabotage is the cause of these acts of destruction. This follows after the DA-led Kouga Municipality obtained an urgent interim Labour Court order interdicting and restraining all employees from continuing with an illegal, unlawful, and unprotected strike in March this year.

Fourteen shop stewards have subsequently been suspended.

Any municipal worker found to have sabotaged municipal services or who has engaged in the willful destruction of government property has committed a criminal offence. These workers will face disciplinary action and, dependent on those findings could face immediate dismissal and have criminal charges brought against them.

Yesterday, during a Kouga Municipal Council meeting, ANC councillor Robbie Dennis openly endorsed all illegal actions by SAMWU. ANC councillors left the meeting shortly thereafter – refusing to take part in the budget discussion.

This is a clear indication that they want to render the municipality ungovernable and destabilise the institution before the upcoming 2021 Local Government Elections. The ANC is playing cheap politics and is not interested in the well-being of residents.

Over the past four years, the municipality and SAMWU had a very good working relationship. It is disappointing to see that six months before the elections, they refuse to work or negotiate with us.

The DA-led government in Kouga is doing its utmost to engage and resolve the problem, but this is becoming increasingly difficult with a militant SAMWU.

The municipality is putting processes in place to ensure that service delivery to all residents will continue and that our infrastructure is secure.

The DA remains resolute in making sure that the Kouga Municipality delivers quality services to all residents and achieve their vision of becoming one of the best municipalities in the country.

Issued by The DA