Pretoria - A senior leader of the SA Municipal Workers Union (Samwu) in Tshwane has been shown the door after he was allegedly captured on a video camera fire-bombing a waste removal truck on August 28.
Mayor Cilliers Brink, who exposed the official, said the city did not make the information public to avoid jeopardising the police investigation.
Brink was addressing the media yesterday at Tshwane House, where he identified the official as Samwu’s regional executive member.
The shocking revelation was made amid the ongoing unprotected strike by some union members over outstanding 3.5% and 5.4% salary increments. Since the strike began in July there has been reported incidents of violence, including torching of municipal vehicles, disruption of service delivery such as refuse collection and withdrawal of Tshwane Bus Services.
At least 128 workers were fired for participating in the unlawful strike and, according to city manager Johann Mettler yesterday, the process of replacing them was under way.
Without naming the implicated official Brink said video footage showed that he “had participated in the fire-bombing of a waste removal truck belonging to a contractor of the City”.
“Video evidence shows a group of people being dropped off on the street. They then proceed to attack the waste truck and set it alight. Finally, they are collected by the same vehicle that dropped them off and leave the scene of the crime,” he said.
He told journalists that the vehicle, identified by its make, model and registration number, belonged to the Samwu official.
On Wednesday, Brink said he was informed by Mettler “that investigators had established that the official’s alibi about the possession of his vehicle on the day of the attack could not be verified, and that the city manager had issued him with a letter of dismissal”.
“This now leaves the issue of a criminal investigation. The evidence in this matter was handed over to the SAPS shortly after the incident. On their advice, the City did not release any of the evidence to the public. The investigation is still ongoing, but regrettably no arrests have been made yet,” he said.
He said at least eight waste collection trucks had been burnt so far as a result of the ongoing strike.
“The trade union has, of course, denied any involvement in acts of criminality. At times they have also denied that there is a strike or that their leaders had any part in it. But the information now in possession of the City, including the video footage and the discredited alibi, draw a link between Samwu’s top leadership and the commissioning of crime in furtherance of the unprotected strike.”
He said the “campaign of terror” was a reason for waste collection backlogs, dirty streets and why it took longer than usual to attend to.
Samwu regional secretary Precious Theledi was not readily available for comment yesterday. However, the union has repeatedly distanced itself from the ongoing unprotected strike.
Pretoria News