News
Blaze Erupts at Centurion Municipal Offices
On Thursday, a significant plume of smoke emanated from the Centurion municipal offices on Basden Avenue entrance as protestors resorted to creating a fire barricade. Firefighters were summoned to the scene, trying to quell the blaze that erupted at what appears to be a metro services depot. This incident unfolds amid an ongoing and unguarded strike by city employees, now stretching into its 18th day, prompted by a zero salary increase.
Also Read: Heartfelt Farewell as Brothers Begin Bike Ride to Italy from Boksburg
Ward councillor David Farquharson conveyed concern over the intensifying behaviour of the protestors. He advised local residents to steer clear of the vicinity around the municipal offices on Basden Avenue, Lyttelton, citing the compromised safety of diligent staff members involved in managing services during this unauthorised strike. Farquharson cautioned that service disruptions might be exacerbated, given that certain depots have been obstructed due to the protest’s escalation.
The protest took a fiery turn on Thursday morning, marked by the ignition of a fire barricade at the entrance on Basden Avenue. Emergency services and law enforcement personnel were promptly dispatched to the scene to address the situation.
This unfolding narrative remains dynamic and subject to updates.
In recent developments, the Labour Court in Braamfontein granted Tshwane an interim interdict against the striking workers on July 28. Meanwhile, the South African local government bargaining council (SALGBC), on July 27, directed Tshwane to implement salary increases of 5.4% in line with the 2021 collective bargaining agreement. This directive followed the union’s appeal to enforce the agreement following Section 33A of the Labour Relations Act. The SALGBC’s mandate to Tshwane entails the implementation of the following increases:
- A 5.4% salary raise effective from July 1, 2023.
- A minimum wage elevation to R9 531.54.
- An increase in the homeowner allowance to R1 011.77.
In contrast, the municipal administration has adopted a firm stance, asserting its inability to accommodate the proposed salary increments financially. Mayor Cilliers Brink emphasised the precarious fiscal state of the council, leading to their decision to pursue exemption from the South African Local Government Bargaining Council (SALGBC) mandate, thereby refraining from executing any salary raises during this financial year. Brink noted that such raises would incur an estimated additional expenditure of approximately R600 million.
Mayor Brink elucidated the council’s focus on rescuing the city from impending financial instability, with the ultimate objective of enhancing service provision and securing the city’s economic viability.
Deputy chief Charles Mabaso, the spokesperson for Tshwane emergency services, confirmed that firefighters received an emergency call just before 09:00 regarding a fire outbreak at the Centurion municipal offices compound. Upon arriving, firefighting units observed that municipal dustbins stored within the compound were ablaze. Firefighters efficiently managed to extinguish the fire without encountering significant challenges. At present, the cause of the fire remains undetermined.
Watch as Blaze Erupts at Centurion Municipal Offices
Source: Fire at Centurion municipal offices
Also Read:
Follow us on Google News
Photo: Facebook / @Rekord
