As tensions rise between the South African Municipal Workers Union and Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana, we explore the implications of his controversial actions on municipal governance and the impact on the poorest communities.
The gloves are off and there’s blood on the floor. The South African Municipal Workers Union, backed by the SA Communist Party, has picked up the gauntlet thrown down by Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana this week.
The two organisations that are part of the ANC-led alliance have threatened to go out onto the streets of Tshwane, calling their comrade minister names and saying he “has gone rogue”.
As an old taxpayer and ratepayer, I’m not sure how to feel about this complex mess. It’s good that the holder of the national purse strings is finally taking action – finally. And the message has landed, almost instantly. No one in any of the affected municipalities can think they can keep getting away with murder, ignoring the Auditor-General’s warnings about poor governance, irregular and wasteful expenditure, and so on, year after year. But what will the end result be?
Besides overturned refuse bins everywhere, traffic and municipal service disruptions, and other ways of protesting against the “reactionary” action by the minister, it’s unclear how the "workers" can “push back”. The protesting may just be confined to media statements and online exchanges.
