KwaZulu-Natal Premier Nomusa Dube-Ncube has warned striking municipal workers in eThekwini, not to trample on the rights of others while exercising their right to protest.
She fired the warning on Monday as the provincial government briefed the media on the strike by members of the South African Municipal Workers Union (Samwu).
The strike started last week and has brought refuse collection services in the CBD to its knees.
It has been characterised by blockading of roads with burning tyres, of using municipal vehicles, disruptions of water supply, delays in repairing faults, and interfering with healthcare services which deprived communities from accessing city clinics.
“We would like to start our briefing by reflecting on the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, which puts the bill of rights as a cornerstone of our democracy,” she told journalists at the briefing held at Durban's ICC on Monday.
“One of the rights that is guaranteed there is the right to strike. Section 23 of the Constitution provides that everyone has a right to fair labour practices, and every worker has a right to form and join a trade union, to participate in the activities and programmes of a trade union, and to strike,” Dube-Ncube said.
She said the Constitution was also clear on the limitations of rights. “Therefore, it must be stated that while workers enjoy such rights, those rights have limitations as well. It doesn’t give a right to infringe on the rights of other citizens nor the right to destruction of infrastructure and property just because one is exercising their other right. That must be clear.
“Government cannot accept nor allow anarchy to prevail. We are therefore holding this media briefing against that very firm commitment by the Government, that lawlessness will not be allowed to prevail,” said the KwaZulu-Natal Premier.
The Mercury