PRETORIA, Gauteng — The SAMWU National Day of Action is set to bring municipal and water sector workers to the streets this Thursday as the union intensifies its standoff with the National Treasury over severe funding constraints and alleged austerity measures. Dumisani Magagula, General Secretary of the South African Municipal Workers’ Union (SAMWU), confirmed the mobilization, outlining a comprehensive list of grievances that range from wage caps and outsourcing to the uniform grading of municipalities and the ongoing victimization of shop stewards.
At the heart of the planned SAMWU National Day of Action is the National Treasury’s controversial decision to withhold the equitable share of funding from 69 municipalities. Magagula fiercely condemned the move, characterizing it as a deliberate sabotage of service delivery. He clarified that the equitable share is specifically allocated to provide basic services to indigent residents, the elderly, the disabled, and those unable to pay. By freezing these funds, the union argues, the government is effectively abandoning its most vulnerable communities and jeopardizing the salaries of essential workers.
The union does not dismiss the Auditor-General’s longstanding concerns regarding municipal financial mismanagement, reckless spending, and the exorbitant use of consultants. However, Magagula insists that the solution lies in targeted consequence management for corrupt or incompetent officials, rather than a blanket approach that starves municipalities of operating capital. He called for a comprehensive review of the municipal funding model, improved revenue collection systems, and strict enforcement of rules requiring government departments to pay for the services they consume.
Taking aim at the national government’s fiscal strategy, the SAMWU leader accused the Minister of Finance of having “gone rogue.” He argued that imposing austerity measures to manage local governments is highly ironic and counterproductive, particularly in an election year. To illustrate his point, Magagula cited the City of Johannesburg, where the union recently negotiated a salary settlement. Despite the executive mayor confirming to a portfolio committee that the city had the financial capacity to fund the agreement, the National Treasury reportedly threatened to place the municipality under administration if the workers were paid. Magagula views such interventions as a misaligned approach that destroys trust in the public service.
Beyond municipal finance, the union is also protesting the ongoing disestablishment of water sectors without adequate consultation. Magagula specifically highlighted the dissolution of Umgeni Water, warning that such unilateral decisions strip communities of essential services. Consequently, the union’s memorandum will be directed at the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA), the Department of Water and Sanitation, and the National Treasury. They are also escalating the matter to the Premier of Gauteng, the provincial MEC for Local Government, and the President of the South African Local Government Association (SALGA).
The union has established a strict 14-day window for the relevant ministries to respond to their demands. Furthermore, SAMWU is demanding an urgent, high-level roundtable discussion featuring the ministers of COGTA, Water and Sanitation, and Treasury in a single room to resolve the systemic challenges. If the 14-day ultimatum expires without a satisfactory resolution, Magagula warned that the union’s Central Executive Committee (CEC) will convene to determine the next phase of the struggle, which could include escalating to rolling mass action to protect workers’ rights.