Labour intentions have escalated at Sol Plaatje Local Municipality in Kimberley, with contract workers protesting amid job cuts.

The South African Municipal Workers Union (SAMWU) is accusing the municipality of abandoning long-serving workers, while claims emerge that misinformation fuelled ongoing strike action in Kimberley

The workers staged protests outside the municipal offices in Ashburnham over the alleged termination of 137 fixed-term contract workers, whose contracts are expected to end on 29 May.

Today is the third day of the strike action that started last Friday. The protesting workers burned tyres and disrupted operations at municipal offices, preventing members of the public from entering the building.

Many of the affected workers have been employed in road maintenance and other essential municipal services and are now demanding permanent positions within the municipality.

SAMWU has vowed to intensify its fight against the planned terminations, arguing that long-serving workers are being unfairly discarded despite years of service to the municipality.

SAMWU Northern Cape Provincial Spokesperson, Papikie Mohale, says SAMWU will not stand by while workers who have dedicated years to keeping the city functioning are discarded without any job security.

“We are demanding that the municipality immediately stop these dismissals and engage with labour to find a lasting solution, he said.

Mohale also said workers remain deeply frustrated by the uncertainty surrounding their employment and warned that tensions could escalate further if no intervention is made.

Anonymous sources say the tensions have also been fuelled by misinformation circulating among workers regarding the status of the contracts and possible permanent appointments.

They say, despite these claims, uncertainty remains over whether management intends to review or reverse the termination notices.

Attempts to obtain comment from the Sol Plaatje Local Municipality were unsuccessful at the time of publication.