MUNICIPAL PROTEST VANDALISES RUSTENBURG

 

Pay upgrade delay triggers strike action, roadblock and service interruptions in Rustenburg

Platinum Weekly newspaper | Rustenburg – Burning tyres, blocked roads and disrupted municipal services marked a tense day in Rustenburg on Wednesday 25 February 2026, as employees of the Rustenburg Local Municipality (RLM) took to the streets over a salary dispute.

The protest, led by the South African Municipal Workers’ Union (SAMWU), centres around the municipality’s alleged regrading from a Grade 5 to a Grade 7 institution earlier this year — a move workers say should have resulted in salary increases in February.

According to SAMWU shop steward Joseph Magalefa, the municipality was regraded on 13 January 2026, and a job evaluation process followed. “It was agreed that implementation would begin on 13 February 2026, and we were promised that employees would receive Grade 7 salaries in February,” he said. “The employer then asked for an extension until March. That is what caused today’s strike.”

Workers marched to the RLM offices to submit a memorandum, but tensions rose when the municipal manager was not present to receive it. The chief financial officer was asked to stand in.

Protest action spilled into major routes, with burning tyres and debris blocking the corner of Nelson Mandela and Beyers Naudé Drive. The entrance to the Rustenburg Local Municipality offices was also obstructed.

In a statement, the municipality acknowledged the shutdown and confirmed that essential services — including water, electricity, waste removal and licensing — had been affected. Management said it is engaging with unions to find an amicable resolution and has implemented contingency measures to maintain critical services. The municipality urged residents to remain patient while discussions continue.

• Meanwhile, frustrated community members questioned: “Will anyone be arrested for vandalism, or have vandalism and property damage during protests simply become part of our culture?”