MAKHADO – The alleged victimisation of the chairperson of the Makhado Branch of the South African Municipal Workers Union (Samwu), Mr James Sikhwari by the management of the Makhado Municipality resulted in union members embarking on a five hours strike at the municipal offices, bringing service delivery to a stand still on Wednesday.

According to the deputy chairperson of Samwu, Mr Sydney Rabakali, workers view the placement of Mr Sikhwari to the Makhado regional office as victimising him as proper procedures were not followed. He said that a placement or transfer must first be referred to the placement committee, with trade unions being notified. "Our municipal manager transferred Sikhwari without informing us and that is against the Placement Act" he said.

Rabakali added that workers also demanded that the Group Insurance Scheme imposed to them after the 2002 strike by the municipal management, be suspended with immediate effect and workers be refunded their deducted money with interest.

When the Samwu leadership was in a meeting with the management, workers were blocking the entrance of the municipality, chanting "the municipality is led by cowards". When people want to get into the municipal building Samwu members told them that the municipal manager, Mr Reuben Rambado, went to Zimbabwe with the keys.

However, Samwu members returned to their workstations after the municipality adhered to their demands that Mr Sikhwari be brought back to the Makhado Municipality where he was employed. The issue about the Group Insurance Scheme has been referred to the bargaining council.