Municipal workers from the Makhado Municipality, led by the South African Municipal Workers Union (SAMWU), gathered at the municipal workshop to embark on a down-tools demonstration on Monday this week.

The services in all the sections of the municipality, including the library, came to a standstill this week, following a concern by the workers in relation to the highly paid councillors within the municipality and the fact that the councillors received extra money last month.

According to members of SAMWU, who visited Mirror’s offices this week, they have very serious concerns with the way in which things are run at the municipality, more especially concerning the councillors. They also revealed that their concerns come after the councilors received cheques for an undisclosed amount of money, which is said to be for their pension.

They added that councillors only care about enriching themselves and not about service delivery. "The fact that councillors are highly paid is affecting us as workers, as we don’t have the required resources that we can use for the people. It is the main issue that is affecting service delivery within the municipality. Roads are damaged and we are told there is no money but councillors are getting bonuses," they said. They also outlined that they were getting "peanuts" as workers.

It was also said that the councilors are overriding the municipal manager, Ms Faith Muthambi, and Mayor Glory Mashaba. Mirror was told that the majority of councillors are also employed in other government departments, which worries the workers.

According to the secretary of SAMWU, Mrs Dinah Mphephu, the workers of the Makhado Municipality, under the banner of SAMWU, "will not be doing our jobs for 48 hours, until we are clarified on the matter. We will then embark on a strike if resolutions are not reached. We are saying as workers that the issue of councillors’ pay is affecting service delivery in the municipality, and as workers of Makhado Municipality, we are concerned about it."

One of the workers said that: "We want the councillors to come and drive these graders, tractors and also cover the damaged streets. The money that is supposed to be used on the roads is used to enrich certain individuals and as workers we are concerned."

In a letter submitted by the workers to the office of Mayor Mashaba on Monday, the workers expressed their concern "in regards to the rude councillors who like to enrich themselves at the expense of the common good (council employee’s money)". SAMWU also objected that the money which was paid out had not been provided for and that "the councillors ignore advice from the chief executive officer, the municipal manager, Exco members and the mayor".

Mr Louis Bobodi, the spokesman of Makhado Municipality, said that there are two components at the municipality: the political section, which is led by the mayor, and the administration, which is led by the municipal manager. He added that he was still investigating the issue of councilors’ having received bonuses. "The councillors’ wages are not determined by the municipality, but by the provincial government," he said.