Ekurhuleni municipality says overtime cuts not limited to EMPD
Metro police took to the streets in protest over frustrations that their overtime hours were being slashed from 80 to 16 hours in a decision made in February.
Workers are calling for the city to increase their salaries and adjust overtime hours. Picture: Sphamandla Dlamini/Eyewitness News
JOHANNESBURG - The Ekurhuleni Municipality has hit back at striking metro police in the city after a decision to down tools caused major traffic disruptions on Wednesday morning.
Metro police took to the streets in protest over frustrations that their overtime hours were being slashed from 80 to 16 hours in a decision made in February.
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Despite frustrations, the City of Ekurhuleni said the decision was not limited to metro police.
Ekurhuleni Mayor Doctor Xhakaza is expected to address the matter with the metro police on Thursday.
City spokesperson, Zweli Dlamini, said a further discussion on these issues would be tabled at the council's local labour forum early in April.
"The city introduced austerity measures in terms of overtime because we must manage overtime. You can't be running a business and you have a blank cheque on issues of overtime, you might run out of business if you do that so the issue was actually put across every department in the city. It was introduced throughout the city."