ID,Start Date,End Date,year,Duration,City,Province,Sector,Sub-sector,Union,Employer,Type of strike,Strikers,Reason_1,Reason_2,Reason_3,Details
1,2023-01-06,2023-02-07,2023,32,Gqeberha,Eastern Cape,Privatised Public Service,Transport,Workers,Libhongolethu IPTS Bus Service,Wildcat,1,Unpaid bonuses,,,Workers went on strike after their bonuses were not paid
2,2023-01-31,2023-01-31,2023,1,Emfuleni,Gauteng,Public,Local Government,SAMWU,Emfuleni Local Municipality,Protected,1,Unpaid wages,Decaying service delivery,,"Workers went on strike against irregular salary payments, unpaid January salaries and deteriorating service delivery"
3,2023-02-01,,2023,,Ekurhuleni,Gauteng,Privatised Public Service,Private Security,PSWTU,"Ngodvongodvo Security, Zabalaza Security ",Wildcat,1,Unpaid wages,,,The city failed to pay the security companies and 1000 workers went unpaid as a result in January. The workers went on strike at five sites that they guard for the municipality. The city claimed it had paid the security companies.
4,2023-02-02,,2023,,"Hopetown, Orania, Strydenburg",Northern Cape,Public,Local Government,SAMWU,Thembelihle Local Municipality,Protected,1,Unpaid wages,Deductions for benefits not paid on to benefits provider,,"The municipal manager resigned and the chief financial officer and other executive officials were suspended, leaving nobody to make payments. Workers went unpaid in January and their medical aid schemes went into arrears."
5,2023-02-06,2023-02-06,2023,1,Stellenbosch,Western Cape,Private,Food Processing,SOLIDARITY,Distell,Wildcat,50,Union recognition,,,"50 workers went on strike for two days demanding recognition of their union, Solidarity."
6,2023-02-14,2023-02-14,2023,1,Johannesburg,Gauteng,Private,Private Security,"AWU, KAWU, NUMSA, SATAWU","Imvula Protection Services, Mafoko Security, Tshedza Protective Services, Ithuba Security, Easy Security, A Force Security, Eagle Eye Security, Reshebile Security, EBS, TR Security, Merlin, Ubuntu, Sinqobile Security, Venes Security, Mabotwane, Mjayeli, Vision Tactical, Tyeks security companies",Wildcat,1,Deductions for benefits not paid on to benefits provider,,,"Security guards' medical aids were not paid and they could not access health services, therefore they downed tools."
7,2023-02-22,2023-02-22,2023,1,Cape Town,Western Cape,Public and Private,All,SAFTU,National Government,Workplace-related action,1,Against austerity,Against loadshedding,,"The unions protested during the Budget speech, rejecting government's austerity measures and demanding a 10% wage increase in public sector wages, a R1 500 basic income grant and more public sector jobs."
8,2023-03-01,2023-03-01,2023,1,Tshwane,Gauteng,Private,Private Security,"AWU, KAWU, NUMSA, SATAWU",Mafoko Security Patrol,Protected,350,Deductions for benefits not paid on to benefits provider,,,"The company deducted medical aid contributions but did not pay them over to the medical fund, leaving workers to pay their medical bills themselves. Unions say R16 million is owed."
9,2023-03-01,2023-03-01,2023,1,Stellenbosch,Western Cape,Private,Transport,TFGWU,Trip Trans Trucking Company,Protected,1,Deductions for benefits not paid on to benefits provider,Health and Safety,Unfair surveillance,"Workers went on strike against union subs deductions that were never paid over to the union, which is not recognised, and cameras in the truck surveilling them, being registered as BEE with the company somehow and not paid and no payment for injury on duty"
10,2023-03-03,2023-03-03,2023,1,Fort Beaufort,Eastern Cape,Private,Private Security,PSWTU,Whispers Security Company,Wildcat,1,Unpaid wages,,,"Security guards held a three-hour strike after the Department of Health did not pay their company . Police removed the strikers. On 18 May, 33 strikers were dismissed."
11,2023-03-06,2023-03-06,2023,1,Johannesburg,Gauteng,Privatised Public Service,Transport,SAMWU,Rea Vaya Bus Services,Wildcat,1,Unpaid wages,,,"All buses were blocked from leaving the terminus in a wildcat strike after drivers were not paid by Piotrans, who is contracted by Rea Vaya to manage the bus services"
12,2023-03-06,2023-03-16,2023,10,National,National,Public,National Government,"PSA, NEHAWU, POPCRU, SAPU, DENOSA, NUPSAW, SAMATU, PAWUSA, SAEPU, HOSPERSA",Department of Public Services and Administration,Protected,1,Wage increase,For increase in benefits,,"The strike was for a 10% increase in the 2022/23 wage talks, R2500 monthly housing allowance and bursary scheme for employees' children. The union settled after 10 days on an agreement to include the 2022/23 wage dispute in the 2023/24 negotiations and to conclude a minimum service level agreement within 6 months."
13,2023-03-09,2023-03-09,2023,1,Johannesburg,Gauteng,Public,Health,NUPSAW,Gauteng Department of Health,Protected,1,For permanent jobs,,,Union members demanded the absorption of 4000 EPWP workers on temporary contracts who had been doing permanent work.
14,2023-03-10,2023-03-10,2023,1,Villiersdorp,Western Cape,Private,Agriculture,BAWUSA,High Noon Farm,Wildcat,70,Wage increase,Management violence,For benefits,"Farmworkers downed tools against the implementation of a 5% increase when they had demanded 8%, against the farmer's physical abuse of workers, against the lack of transport to and from the farm, and against the reduction of GP visits benefit to 2 visits per year."
15,2023-03-12,2023-03-26,2023,14,Durban,KwaZulu-Natal,Private,Transport,SATAWU,C Steinweg Bridge Terminals,Protected,-,Wage increase,Racism,,"Union demanded a pay increase of 7% plus backpay, employer offered 6.5% with no backpay."
16,2023-03-14,2023-03-14,2023,1,Johannesburg,Gauteng,Public,Health,NUPSAW,Gauteng Department of Health,Wildcat,4000,For permanent jobs,,,Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) workers had a night vigil outside the offices of the Gauteng Department of Health against contract termination and for absorption. The workers then occupied the Premier's office and continued protesting the next day.
17,2023-03-20,2023-03-20,2023,1,National,National,Public and Private,All sectors,SAFTU,Presidency,Protected,1,Against austerity,Against loadshedding,,"Saftu and the EFF held a national shutdown, demanding jobs for the unemployed at a living wage; an end to load-shedding; a universal basic income grant; a lower cost of living; a minimum wage of R72 per hour for all; an end to crime and violence against women and children; a transition to renewable energy without job losses; for renationalisation of certain entities, including SAA; an end to austerity, better pay for teachers, nurses, and social workers."
18,2023-03-21,2023-04-04,2023,14,Ladysmith,KwaZulu-Natal,Public,Local Government,SAMWU,uThukela District Municipality,Wildcat,1,For permanent jobs,Unpaid wages,Decaying service delivery,"The strike was a protest against wages having been deducted for a wildcat strike over Xmas (2022), and demanding that EPWP workers be hired permanently."
19,2023-03-23,2023-03-23,2023,1,Johannesburg,Gauteng,Privatised Public Service,Transport,SAMWU,Rea Vaya Bus Services,Wildcat,1,Unpaid wages,,,Workers stopped all busses from running in another protest against not being paid.
20,2023-03-23,2023-03-24,2023,1,Rustenburg,North West,Public,Local Government,SAMWU,Rustenburg Municipality,Wildcat,1,Unpaid allowances,,,"Workers went on strike, demanding Covid-19 danger allowances they had been promised since 2021, and proper grading. Workers continued their protest at Deputy President Paul Mashatile's visit, demanding that he solve their grievances."
21,2023-03-24,2023-06-08,2023,76,Cape Town,Western Cape,Private,Wholesale & Retail,SACCAWU,Makro,Protected,100,Wage increase,For increase in benefits,,"Workers began a protracted strike at Makro by marching to Parliament to hand over a memorandum to the Department of Trade, Industry, and Competition demanding that it intervene in the dispute."
22,2023-03-24,2023-06-08,2023,76,National,National,Private,Wholesale & Retail,SACCAWU,Makro,Protected,900,Wage increase,,,"The longest strike of the first six months of 2023 ended after Makro agreed to pay an increase of the greater of 4.5% or R450 for 2022/23; the greater of 5% or R480 for 2023/24 and the greater of 5% or R500, backdated to 1 April, 2022. It was agreed that there would be ‘engagement’ on the 600 workers dismissed."
23,2023-03-27,,2023,,Cape Town,Western Cape,Private,Wholesale & Retail,"SAHAWU, NIMWU",Global Roofing and Builder's Hardware,Wildcat,40,Wage increase,Union recognition,,Workers downed tools after being suspended for trying to get their unions recognised and for trying to negotiate a pay increase. 
24,2023-03-30,2023-03-30,2023,1,Johannesburg,Gauteng,Public,Health,NUPSAW,Gauteng Department of Health,Wildcat,1,For permanent jobs,,,EPWP workers picket in protest against the Health MEC firing over 4000 EPWP workers. The workers then occupied the building.
25,2023-03-31,,2023,,Gqeberha,Eastern Cape,Private,Automotive,NUMSA,Tenneco Automotive Holdings,Protected,1,Wage cuts,,,"Workers went on strike against a proposed 42% pay cut at the catalytic converter manufacturer, who introduced the proposed pay cut during bargaining, seeking to reduce the hourly rate from R114.67 to R67 even though other similar companies pay at least R87."
26,2023-04-18,2023-04-18,2023,1,Johannesburg,Gauteng,Public,Health,NUPSAW,Gauteng Department of Health,Wildcat,1,For permanent jobs,,,EPWP workers picketed against the Health MEC terminating the contracts of over 4000 EPWP workers on 31 March. Their contracts were later extended.
27,2023-04-25,2023-06-08,2023,44,Ladysmith,KwaZulu-Natal,Private,Automotive,NUMSA,Sumitomo Rubber South Africa,Wildcat,900,Flexibilisation of labour,,,"Workers went on strike against short time and being removed from a hiring committee. The employer dismissed all 900 workers on 24 May after the courts declared the strike to be unprotected, but reinstated them on 8 June after a settlement was reached."
28,2023-04-26,2023-04-26,2023,1,Makhanda,Eastern Cape,Public,Local Government,SAMWU,Makana Municipality,Wildcat,1,Unpaid overtime,,,"Workers in the water department allegedly held a go-slow against unpaid overtime, opening water for the town several hours late."
29,2023-05-01,2023-05-01,2023,1,Bethlehem,Free State,Public,National Government,NEHAWU,Tripartite Alliance,Workplace-related action,,Against austerity,,,"At the Cosatu May Day rally, Nehawu members sang struggle songs during speeches by President Cyril Ramphosa, the SACP secretary general and Cosatu president, and said that they could not celebrate May Day under austerity conditions."
30,2023-05-01,2023-06-02,2023,32,Butterworth,Eastern Cape,Private,Wholesale & Retail,THORN,Elite Bakery and Confectionary,Protected,,Wage increase,Bonus,,"Workers went on strike and secured a 7.5% increase, a two week bonus, backpay to 1 April 2023, and agreement to negotiate the 2023 bonus in October this year."
31,2023-05-05,2023-05-05,2023,1,Tshwane,Gauteng,Private,Wholesale & Retail,SACCAWU,Makro,Workplace-related action,,Wage increase,Bonus increase,,Union members picketed the US embassy after 600 Makro workers were fired for allegedly behaving 'unlawfully' while on strike. Cosatu also supported the picket.
32,2023-05-05,2023-05-05,2023,1,Phalaborwa,Limpopo,Private,Mining,NUM,Phalaborwa Foskor Mine,Protected,1,For permanent jobs,Employment Equity,Increased youth employment,"The union went on strike for increased youth employment, for the union to be part of decisions around procurement, and for an employment equity and skills development structure to be set up; for workers pay not to be deducted when communities protested against the mine; and for all security guards to be insourced."
33,2023-05-09,2023-05-09,2023,1,Gqeberha,Eastern Cape,Private,Metal,NUMSA,Scaw Metal,Protected,1,Racism,Sexual Assault,For removal of managers,"The union went on strike against racism (300 workers dismissed by white management over four years; Black workers banned from speaking in mother tongues; Black workers allegedly beaten and sexually assaulted by white managers, a white-dominated management, and unfair disciplinaries for 'gross misconduct')."
34,2023-05-11,2023-05-11,2023,1,Johannesburg,Gauteng,Public,Local Government,SAMWU,City of Johannesburg,Protected,7000,For permanent jobs,Reinstate dismissed workers,,"Workers marched on the City, Premier's office, and Luthuli House against government's failure to run municipalities properly. They demanded reinstatement of 130 CoJ dismissed employees, an end to outsourcing, timeous payment of salaries, and an end to victimisation."
35,2023-05-15,2023-05-17,2023,2,Kimberley,Northern Cape,Public,Local Government,SAMWU,Sol Plaatje Municipality,Wildcat,1,For permanent jobs,Allowance increase,Reinstate suspended workers,"Workers demanded that 100 contract workers be absorbed, that suspended workers be reinstated, that Covid-19 allowances be paid, that danger allowances of R558 paid out to workers who qualify at the end of July, and that transport allowances be increased for workers using public transport. They won all of their demands except the reinstatement of suspended workers."
36,2023-05-22,2023-05-25,2023,3,Hammanskraal,Gauteng,Public,Health,Workers,Gauteng Department of Health,Wildcat,100,For permanent jobs,,,"Nurses at Jubilee District Hospital had been on temporary contracts since July 2020 which were eventually terminated at the end of March 2023. They demanded an end to working for the hospital via agencies. Following the protest, the provincial department promised to extend their contracts to March 2024."
37,2023-05-24,2023-05-24,2023,1,Tshwane,Gauteng,Private,Private Security,"SACSAWU, IDUSA",22 security companies,Protected,400,For permanent jobs,,,"The guards demanded to be employed permanently by the city, saying they are only paid R5000 per month after security companies have taken their cut, and because there was an outstanding 2018 council resolution to insource 4000 security guards."
38,2023-05-25,2023-05-25,2023,1,Johannesburg,Gauteng,Public and Private,All sectors,"SAFTU, GIWUSA",South African Reserve Bank,Workplace-related action,50,Against austerity,,,Saftu and Giwusa picketed against a 50-point basis interest rate hike.
39,2023-05-29,,2023,,Johannesburg,Gauteng,Public,Regulatory Bodies,NEHAWU,Property Practitioners Regulatory Authority (PPRA),Protected,,Wage increase,Allowance increase,Reinstate suspended workers,"Workers demanded a 6.5% increase and PPRA offered 5%. Workers also went on strike for a housing allowance, more medical aid options, an end to employees’ intimidation and victimisation by management, and reinstatement of the union branch secretary."
40,2023-05-31,2023-05-31,2023,1,Johannesburg,Gauteng,Public,Health,HAITU,Gauteng Department of Health,Protected,200,For permanent jobs,,,"The union marched for student nurses to continue to receive their bursaries post-graduation, until they receive their practicing certificates, on the grounds that they cannot work without a practicing certificate, even if they have graduated."
41,2023-06-05,,2023,,Verulam,KwaZulu-Natal,Private,Food Processing,AMITU,Frimax,Wildcat,247,Unpaid wages,Union recognition,Management violence,"Workers downed tools over discrimination, mistreatment and withholding of their salaries. They refused to be members of FAWU (closed shop), and demanded recognition of the African Meat Industry and Allied Trade Union. 247 workers were dismissed, with 100 workers later reinstated while the remaining 147 dismissed workers approached the CCMA."
42,2023-06-07,2023-06-08,2023,1,Tshwane,Gauteng,Privatised Public Service,Transport,SAMWU,Tshwane Bus Service,Wildcat,,Unpaid overtime,Unilateral change,,"Bus drivers stopped work after not being paid overtime. The union also said bosses had drawn up a new shift system without consultation, and that toilets for workers were not working whereas toilets for managers were fully functioning."
43,2023-06-08,,2023,,Ga-Rankuwa,Gauteng,Education,Education,"APSA, NEHAWU, SAPTIU",Sefako Makgatho University (SMU),Protected,,Wage increase,,,"Workers went on strike for a 7% wage increase, R3 000 once-off payment to each worker, and permission for five days of annual leave to be cashed out. The employer offered 5.7%, two days of leave to be cashed out, and a R1 000 once-off payment. The unions slammed the use of expensive private security hired by the university to suppress the strike."
44,2023-06-09,2023-06-09,2023,1,Gqeberha,Eastern Cape,Privatised Public Service,Transport,Workers,Spectrum Alert,Wildcat,,Unpaid wages,,,"All workers of the Libhongulethu bus system including cleaners, ticketers and bus drivers, blockaded the roads around Gqeberha City Hall after not being paid their wages for two months."
45,2023-06-13,2023-06-13,2023,1,Johannesburg,Gauteng,Private,Food Processing,SWF,Registrar of Labour Relations,Workplace-related action,100,Union recognition,,,Members of the Simunye Workers Forum marched on the Labour Court where they had taken the Registrar of Labour Relations to court over his refusal to register SWF as a union. The SWF won the case and the Registrar was ordered on 22 June to register SWF within 14 days.
46,2023-06-15,2023-06-15,2023,1,Tshwane,Gauteng,Public,National Government,SAFTU,Department of Social Development,Workplace-related action,80,Against austerity,Basic Income Grant,,Saftu held a picket for a Jobs Guarantee and a Basic Income Grant outside the offices of the Department of Social Development.
47,2023-06-15,2023-06-15,2023,,Kuruman,Northern Cape,Public,Provincial Government,NUPSAW,Northern Cape Department of Roads and Public Works,Workplace-related action,,For permanent jobs,Against corruption,For benefits,"EPWP picketed against unfair labour practices and demanding to be permanently absorbed. Some EPWP workers’ names appeared on the Persal employee system where they received payslips stating that they earn salaries of R9 000 but they are only being paid R2400 per month by the NGOs that government registered them with. They also do not qualify for National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) relief or low-cost housing, were not paid for working on public holidays and were not given any sick or family responsibility leave."
48,2023-06-24,2023-06-24,2023,1,Germiston,Gauteng,Private,Wholesale & Retail,SWF,Golden Bakery,Workplace-related action,50,Against Xenophobia,,,"50 members of the SWF and CWAO marched on Golden Bakery demanding confirmation letters of employment for workers to re-apply for their work permits. The Golden Bakery workers had been working there for between 7 and 15 years and the employer had never asked them for their work permits before. But as soon as they started organising and wanting their Basic Conditions of Employment Act rights, the employer threatened to have them deported unless they came up with work permits. The employer’s iinkabi (snipers) shot at least four of the SWF and CWAO members with live ammunition, including one board member, who were all seriously injured and admitted to hospital, including to the Intensive Care Unit."
49,2023-06-29,2023-06-29,2023,1,Cape Town,Western Cape,Public,Health,Workers,St John's Ambulance,Wildcat,dozens,For permanent jobs,Against short pay,,"The provincial health department's contract with St John's ended, leaving 21 Nyanga and Gugulethu community health workers out of work. Some were then hired by Anova. However, the community health workers protested for those who had been left out of work, and also against being short-paid for May - they continued working for the whole month but the new employer only paid them from mid-month."
50,2023-07-03,2023-07-03,2023,1,KwaMashu,KwaZulu-Natal,Public,Health,PSA,Dr Pixley Ka Isaka Seme Memorial Hospital,Wildcat,120,Health and Safety ,Unpaid overtime,,"Workers downed tools over demotions, understaffing and burnout, no lunch breaks, nurses leaving in large numbers because of poor working conditions that also affect patients. Workers also protested against 12 hour shifts and a lack of security to protect them and non-payment of overtime."
51,2023-07-04, ,2023,#VALUE!,Bethlehem,Free State,Private,Private Security,"AWU, KAWU, NUMSA, SATAWU",Maluti Security,Wildcat,200,Unpaid benefit deductions,,,Workers went on strike over medical aid and provident fund deductions by the employer which were never paid over to the funds.
52,2023-07-05,2023-07-05,2023,1,Pietermaritzburg,KwaZulu-Natal,Public,Health,NEHAWU,Grey's Hospital,Wildcat,,Corruption,Short Staffing,,Workers picketed inside the hospital demanding that vacancies be filled and the number of ghost workers on the payroll be investigated. 
53,2023-07-10,2023-07-12,2023,3,Chatsworth,KwaZulu-Natal,Privatised Public Service,Private Security,Workers,Mafoko Security Patrol,Wildcat,-,Unpaid wages,Job Losses,,"Security guards on month-to-month contracts went on strike over unpaid wages and three days later, the hospital terminated the contract with the security company and hired another company"
54,2023-07-13,2023-07-13,2023,,Pretoria,Gauteng,,Sex Work,SISONKE,National Government,Wildcat,120,Health and Safety,Against poor working conditions,,"Sex workers demanded that government speed up the decriminalisation of sex work so that they can work without fear of arrest, and so that they can report assaults on the job to the police and be taken seriously. The sex workers have been fighting for decriminalisation of sex work for decades."
55,2023-07-18,2023-07-28,2023,,National,National,Public,Health,NUPSAW,National Government,Workplace-related action,3000,For permanent jobs,,,"NUPSAW shut down several of the government's public hearings into the basic conditions of employment and wages for CHWs. The hearings were held over 7 days in East London, Cape Town, Gqeberha, George, Mogale City, Kimberley and Tshwane. The government planned to transfer CHWs to NGOs whereas the CHWs are demanding permanent employment by the government."
56,2023-07-26,2023-11-10,2023,90,Tshwane,Gauteng,Public,Local Government,SAMWU,City of Tshwane,Wildcat,7000,Unpaid wage increase,Unilateral change,Against corruption,"SAMWU began a strike after the City refused to pay the 5.4% wage increase agreed in 2021 as part of the national collective bargaining agreement in for all municipalities in South Africa. The strike was permanently interdicted on 16 September but the workers continued striking. 123 workers were dismissed for striking and one worker died after he was dismissed, under circumstances not disclosed. The strike ended on 10 November with the unions agreeing to re-enter negotiations with the municipality over the unpaid wage increase."
57,2023-08-01,2023-08-01,2023,1,Makhado,Limpopo,Public,Local Government,"SAMWU, IMATU",Makhado Municipality,Wildcat,300,Against nepotism,Against ANC political interference,,"Hundreds of municipal workers downed tools against alleged ANC political interference in the appointment of the municipality’s chief financial officer (CFO) post, which has been vacant for nearly 5 years. The workers demanded fairness, transparency and that the ANC stop trying to appoint only their cadres."
58,2023-08-01,2023-08-01,2023,1,Tshwane,Gauteng,Public,Provincial Government,MAWUSA,Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs,Wildcat,2000,For full time jobs,Wage Increase,,About 2000 Community Work Programme (CWP) workers from all nine provinces marched on COGTA demanding permanent full time work and an end to a two day per week job that only pays between R880 and R950. MAWUSA said the workers had marched on COGTA 55 times previously and would stop voting if they were not made permanent and given a decent monthly salary.
59,2023-08-04,2023-08-04,2023,1,Tshwane,Gauteng,Private,Domestic Work,"UDWOSA, SADSAWU",Hundreds of employers,Wildcat,100,Racism,Rape,Dog attacks,"Over 100 domestic workers protested at the Union Buildings, saying it was three years since the Constitutional Court ordered that they be eligible for workplace compensation but they were still struggling to access these funds. The workers said they were still being attacked by employers’ dogs, raped and sexually assaulted at work, impregnated by employers, racially abused, and paid less than the statutory minimum wage. The domestic workers from other countries said employers are failing to help them with their visa applications."
60,2023-08-04,2023-08-22,2023,,Makhanda,Eastern Cape,Public,Local Government,SAMWU,Makana Municipality,Wildcat,,Health and Safety,,,"Refuse removal workers started a sit-in/go slow and refused to collect refuse after the Municipality failed to provide them with the necessary PPE. The workers' refuse removal truck often breaks down and is not repaired timeously, leaving them with the hazardous job of piling very high mounds of garbage in bags onto the back of a bakkie."
61,2023-08-04,ongoing,2023,,Boksburg,Gauteng,Privatised Public Service,Private Security,UPSWU,"Khayalami Security, Zabalaza Security",Wildcat,,For permanent jobs,,Unpaid wages,"GroundUp reported that 1000 security guards working mainly for Khayalami Security and Zabalaza Security, who were contracted to the City of Ekurhuleni, lost their jobs after the City replaced these companies with TSS Security and Bravo Security. The guards, who used to work at city sites in Germiston, Benoni, Daveyton, Brakpan, Benoni, Alberton and Boksburg, had not received their wages for November and December 2022 and said the companies and the municipalitywere passing the buck and “blaming each other”. The UPSWU has demanded the guards be insourced in line with the council budget, which they say allocated R2 billion for safety and security, which is more than enough money to insource all the guards."
62,2023-08-07,,2023,,Kimberley,Northern Cape,Private,Mining,NUMSA,Ekapa Diamond Mines,Protected,700,Wage increase,Housing Allowance,Once-off payment,"About 700 workers downed tools, demanding a housing allowance, once off payment of R10 000 and a 17% wage increase. The employer offered a 6.5% wage increase and a three-year agreement and a 17% increase for some workers only. Three days after the strike began, police fired water cannons and tear gas at the strikers and arrested 43 workers. The workers were still on strike by mid-September."
63,2023-08-08,2023-08-08,2023,,Johannesburg,Gauteng,Public,Provincial Government,NUPSAW,Gauteng provincial government,Protected,2000,For permanent jobs,For correct salary scales,,"Community Health Workers (CHWs) and Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) workers marched in demand of EPWP’s permanent employment as promised in May 2023, by the Premier who agreed that EPWP workers would get first priority for vacancies. A process was supposed to be finalised within two months but instead the provincial government advertised 687 posts without considering the 2000 existing EPWP workers. NUPSAW also discovered a further 2000 ghost workers in the EPWP programme. The CHWs were employed in 2020 but on a lower salary level than agreed. NUPSAW demanded that they be regraded to salary level 3 as negotiated."
64,2023-08-16,2023-08-16,2023,,Mahikeng,North West,Public,Health,NUPSAW,North West Provincial Department of Roads and Public Works,Protected,1200,For permanent jobs,Against nepotism,Against ghost workers,"About 1200 EPWP workers marched on the North West Premier for permanent jobs and against nepotism. The union said many of the 13 500 EPWP workers who the government said had been working on 12 month contracts for up to seven years, were ghost workers."
65,2023-08-17,2023-08-17,2023,1,Boksburg,Gauteng,Privatised Public Service,Private Security,UPSWU,"Khayalami Security, Zabalaza Security",Workplace related action,40,Extension of contracts,For permanent jobs,Unpaid wages,"40 of the striking security guards shut down the Boksburg Civic Centre by protesting at the entrance, demanding salaries that have been outstanding since November 2022. The workers are part of the group of 1000 who lost their jobs after the City of Ekurhuleni changed security companies."
66,2023-08-29,2023-08-29,2023,1,Louis Trichardt,Limpopo,Public,Local Government,"SAMWU, IMATU","Samwu and Imatu members marched against political interference on the part of the municipality who has not appointed a chief financial officer for five years because they did not want to appoint the candidate who scored the highest in the interview, Godfrey Raliphada, who had acted in the position since 2022. The court eventually ruled in February 2024 that Raliphada should be appointed, and the municipality eventually appointed him at the end of July 2024.",Protected,100,Against nepotism,Political Interference,,"Samwu and Imatu members marched against political interference on the part of the municipality who has not appointed a chief financial officer for five years because, the unions believe, they want to interfere in a fair recruitment process. The municipality did not want to appoint Godfrey Raliphada who had been acting CFO since 2022 and scored highest in the interview. Finally in February 2024, the courts ruled that Raliphada should be appointed, which the municipality only did at the end of July 2024."
67,2023-09-07,2023-09-07,2023,1,Welkom,Free State,Public,Local Government,SAMWU,Matjhabeng Local Municipality,Protected,600,Unpaid wage increase,Sexual assault,Unpaid benefit,"About 600 Samwu members marched on the municipality calling for the salaries and benefits they are owed to be paid to them. The workers also marched against outsourcing of services, alleged harassment of workers by the mayor, political interference in the running of the municipality, correct grading, and against GBV and sexual harassment at work, and against nepotism in recruitment.
    "
68,2023-09-09,2023-09-09,2023,1,Paarl,Western Cape,Private,Chemical,WFP,Bayer,Workplace related action,200,Health and Safety,,,About 200 farmworkers marched on Bayer demanding that the company stop exporting pesticides to South Africa. WFP said the pesticides are causing chest and sinus ailments for women farmworkers as well as skin rashes.
69,2023-09-15,2023-09-15,2023,1,Pietermaritzburg,KwaZulu-Natal,Privatised Public Service,Private Security,NEHAWU,Unnamed security company,Protected,,Health and Safety,Low wages,Unpaid benefit,"Security guards blocked entrances to the hospital, shutting it down, saying they had no uniform, were paid on different dates, and did not receive bonuses on time."
70,2023-09-17,,2023,,Richard's Bay,KwaZulu-Natal,,Transport,AMCU,Richard's Bay Coal Terminals,Protected,,Wage increase,For benefits,,The workers demanded a 7% increase and a housing allowance and the bosses offered only 6% per year for three years. The strike went on for 3 weeks.
71,2023-09-19,2023-09-21,2023,2,Johannesburg,Gauteng,Private,E-hailing,EPCO,"Uber, Bolt",Wildcat,,Health and Safety,Low wages,,"The e-Hailing Partners' Council of South Africa (EPCO) started a strike outside the Gauteng Premier's office against low pay, attacks on drivers, extortion from public taxi drivers and Uber and Bolt trying to reduce payments to drivers."
72,2023-09-21,2023-09-21,2023,1,eThekwini,KwaZulu-Natal,Public,Local Government,SAMWU,eThekwini Municipality,Protected,2000,Health and Safety,Lack of tools,Poor grading,"The union marched because of 17 outstanding grievances, including the murder of workers at work, severe shortage of tools to do the job, unpaid performance bonuses, and the municipality's failure to grade the workers properly which means workers are earning less than they should be."
73,2023-09-25,,2023,,Cradle of Humankind site,Gauteng,Public,Regulatory Bodies,NEHAWU,Cradle of Humankind Heritage Site,Protected,85,Wage increase,Unpaid benefit,,Nearly all 95 workers at the site went on strike for an 11% increase after not receiving a pay hike for five years. The workers said their bonuses were also cancelled.
74,2023-09-26,,2023,,National,National,Private,Food Processing,NUFBWSAW,Coca-Cola Beverages SA,Protected,,Forced Sunday work,Wage increase,,Workers went on strike over an unfair shift system including compulsory public holiday and Sunday work. Workers also demanded a 4.8% increase. FAWU had already agreed to the shift system.
75,2023-10-05,2023-10-06,2023,,Johannesburg,Gauteng,Private,Food Processing,SWF,Simba-Pepsico,Protected,317,Removal of benefit,Unpaid benefit,,"The workers went on strike after the company deducted pay from workers' wages for transport that should have been free for six years. It then offered to pay R30 000 in compensation only if workers agreed to give up free transport going forward. On Day Two, the Labour Court interdicted the strike from proceeding."
76,2023-10-06,2023-10-06,2023,1,National,National,Public and Private,All,COSATU,,Workplace-related action,,Wage increase,Benefits,Health and Safety,"Cosatu affiliates downed tools for International Day of Decent Work for compliance with the National Minimum Wage Act, for a living wage that includes pension, medical, education and other benefits, against late payment of wages in the public service, against casual and temporary work, against sexual harassment and GBV at work, against injuries and deaths on the job, for Employment Equity, for paid time off for parents, and for the right to join a union and bargain collectively."
77,2023-10-12,2023-10-12,2023,,Mahikeng,North West,Public,Provincial Government,NUPSAW,North West Provincial Department of Roads and Public Works,Wildcat,600,For permanent jobs,,,"About 600 EPWP workers marched on the MEC for Public Works and Roads, demanding to be made permanent. The MEC had failed to respond to the demands they made in their march on 16 August."
78,2023-10-12,,2023,,Springs,Gauteng,Private,Mining,AMCU ,Gold One Modder East,Wildcat,300,Union recognition,,,"Workers gathered again to complain that the NUM was insisting on a 30 day termination notice of their closed shop agreement. This meant that although NUM had cancelled the closed shop agreement, workers could still not join AMCU. AMCU affiliated workers demanded a meeting over the fact that mine bosses refused to recognise AMCU. Police fired rubber bullets and teargas to keep workers out of the mine. By 18 November, AMCU launched a court challenge against Gold One bosses who had twice ignored a workers' petition with the names of workers who wanted to move from NUM to AMCU. "
79,2023-10-17,,2023,,eNkgangala,Mpumalanga,Private,Mining,NUM,Kangala Colliery,Protected,,For benefits,Full-time Branch secretary,,"Workers went on strike at the colliery, which is owned by Thungela and Exxaro, demanding a full time union branch secretary position, and R100 000 per worker as this sum was allegedly given to all Thungela employees through the Employee Share Ownership Plans (ESOPs)."
80,2023-10-17,2023-10-24,2023,,National,National,Public,Government Agency,PSA,State Information Technology Agency,Protected,,Wage increase,,,"Workers went on strike demanding a 12% increase and the bosses offered only 2%, later offering a 5% increase. The strike was settled after 7 days, but the final percentage was not made public by the PSA or SITA."
81,2023-10-22,2023-10-25,2023,3,Springs,Gauteng,Private,Mining,AMCU ,Gold One Modder East,Wildcat,500,End to closed shop agreement,Union recognition,,"Over 500 AMCU members remained underground, halting production, after the mine bosses refused to recognise the union, insisting that they would continue a closed shop agreement they had with the NUM since 2012. The workers surfaced after three days and the NUM announced on 15 November that it would end its closed shop agreement. The bosses suspended 34 workers in November, accusing them of having held the other 450 plus workers hostage underground."
82,2023-10-25,2023-10-31,2023,6,Matjhabeng,Free State,Public,Local Government,SAMWU,Matjhabeng Municipality,Wildcat,,Unpaid wages,,,"Workers downed tools for six days and burnt garbage after the municipality's account was frozen the day before payday, and workers were not paid."
83,2023-10-25,2023-10-25,2023,,Mdantsane,Eastern Cape,Public,Health,NUPSAW,Eastern Cape Department of Health,Workplace-related action,200,For permanent jobs,,,"Community Health Worker members of NUPSAW held a mass rally in Mdantsane, demanding to be made permanent employees of the department."
84,2023-10-25,2023-10-29,2023,,Mahikeng,North West,Public,Provincial Government,NUPSAW,North West Provincial Department of Roads and Public Works,Wildcat,,Extension of contracts,,,"Hundreds of EPWP workers marched on the provincial legislature, saying the Department of Roads and Public Works had reneged on a promise to extend their 3 month contracts. They had continued to work another 3 months, based on the promise, but had not been paid. The workers, who earn only R1800 per month, also demanded 12 month contracts."
85,2023-11-01,2023-11-01,2023,,eThekwini,KwaZulu-Natal,Public,Local Government,Workers,eThekwini Municipality,Wildcat,400,Contract termination,,,"About 400 workers tried to storm City Hall in eThekwini after their Presidential Employment Programme contracts were abruptly terminated by the municipality, who claimed it had run out of funds. The workers had been employed to clean river banks and public parks."
86,2023-11-06,2023-11-06,2023,,Johannesburg,Gauteng,Public,National Government,Workers,National government,Workplace-related action,1000,Solidarity with Palestine,,,"The Simunye Workers Forum, GIWUSA, and other workers and solidarity movements protested against the Israeli genocide in Gaza outside the United States consulate in Sandton, following a protest earlier in the day against the South African government. Protestors demanded that the government stop doing business with the US under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA). This protest took place outside the AGOA Forum in Joburg. "
87,2023-11-06,2023-11-08,2023,,eThekwini,KwaZulu-Natal,Public,Education,SADTU,KwaZulu-Natal Education Department,Workplace-related action,,Health and Safety,Unfilled posts,Austerity,"SADTU members picketed for 3 days over unsafe working conditions for teachers, lack of funding for schools and because workers who exited their jobs were not replaced, meaning the remaining teachers had to do more work"
88,2023-11-13,2023-11-20,2023,,National,National,Public,National Government,NEHAWU,Productivity South Africa,Protected,,Wage increase,,,"The workers wanted a 7.5% increase and a 2% backpay increase from 2022/23 but the bosses offered 4%. The strike ended after 6 days with an agreed 5% increase, backdated to 1 July."
89,2023-11-15,2023-11-16,2023,,Carletonville,Gauteng,Private,Mining,"AMCU, NUM",Blyvoor Gold Mine,Wildcat,800,End to closed shop agreement,13th cheque,Incentives,More than 800 mineworkers remained underground for two days in protest against a minority union having a closed shop agreement with the mine bosses. The workers also called for 13th cheques and incentives. Mine bosses responded by threatening to fire 240 workers.
90,2023-11-15,2023-11-15,2023,1,eThekwini,KwaZulu-Natal,Public,Local Government,SAMWU,eThekwini Municipality,Wildcat,500,Performance Bonuses,Against political leaders,,"Workers turned a 2 hour meeting into a protest in the middle of town, demanding that the mayor be axed and that their working conditions be improved. The workers had been demanding performance bonuses for some time. They used municipal trucks to block the nearby roads."
91,2023-11-16,2023-11-16,2023,,Pretoria,Gauteng,Public,National Government,SACOSWU,Department of Correctional Services,Wildcat,,Union recognition,,,"SACOSWU occupied the head offices of the department after it refused to grant the union a single organisational right, telling the union it must go and ask the Public Service Co-ordinating Bargaining Council (PSCBC)."
92,2023-11-18,2023-11-18,2023,,N4 highway Lebombo,Mpumalanga,Public,Transport,Workers,National government,Wildcat,400,Health and Safety,Poor working conditions,Lack of police protection,"Truck drivers blocked the N4 highway on the road leading to the Lebombo port saying there was often only one border official to process 1500 trucks, leading to drivers queuing for four days. This meant the drivers could not meet their delivery targets and were not paid. Some trucks were allowed to skip the queue which led to violence in which the police did not try to protect drivers, the drivers' co-ordinator told SABC. "
92,2023-11-21,2023-11-21,2023,,Cape Town,Western Cape,Public,Health,Workers,Israeli government,Workplace-related action,300,Solidarity with Palestine,,,"Health workers affiliated to Health Care Workers for Palestine picketed outside Red Cross Childrens' Hospital after 200 Palestinian health workers were killed and at least 130 wounded in Gaza in the preceding five weeks. The group demanded ""an immediate ceasefire and unrestricted access to humanitarian aid. They also called for hospitals and clinics to be allowed to operate without fear of being bombed"", GroundUp reported."
93,2023-11-22,2023-11-22,2023,,Mangaung,Free State,Public,Education,Workers,Department of Education,Wildcat,600,Austerity,Health and Safety,,"Early childhood development workers affiliated to the Forum on Service Delivery marched against corruption, budget cuts, and poor treatment by Education Department officials who they said frequently threaten to shut ECD centres down."
94,2023-11-22,2023-11-22,2023,,George,Western Cape,Public,Health,NUPSAW,Western Cape Department of Health,Protected,,For permanent jobs,,,"Community Health Worker members of NUPSAW demanded insourcing by the government, to be placed on the DPSA's level 5 on the salary scale, for counsellors at clinics to be absorbed by the government too, a danger allowance, and the same ""token of appreciation"" that was negotiated in the Public Health Sector Bargaining Council for other permanent health workers. "
95,2023-11-23,2023-11-23,2023,,Johannesburg,Gauteng,Private,Food Processing,SWF,Simba-Pepsico,Workplace-related action,100,Union recognition,Transport Allowance,,SWF members protested outside the Labour Court where they won their case against Simba. Simba forced to withdraw its bid for a permanent interdict against deemed permanent workers together with permanent workers who went on strike over Simba cancelling the free transport it used to provide. (A ‘deemed permanent worker’ refers to a worker who is still being forced to work for a company via a labour broker even though the Constitutional Court in 2018 clearly ruled that any worker who has been doing a permanent job for more than three months at one company is automatically deemed permanent).
96,2023-11-29,2023-11-29,2023,,National,National,Public,National Government,"SAFTU, COSATU",National Government,Workplace-related action,2000,Solidarity with Palestine,,,"COSATU and SAFTU unions, including the Simunye Workers' Forum and GIWUSA, protested against the Israeli genocide in Palestine with other solidarity groups and the ANC and EFF. Protests were held in Joburg, Cape Town and Potchefstroom. The protestors called for an immediate end to the Israeli bombings of Gaza and for the Apartheid Israeli state to be dismantled."
97,2023-12-04,2023-12-04,2023,,Paarl,Western Cape,Private,Agriculture,WFP,South African Police Services,Workplace-related action,200,Police Failures,Against Gender-Based Violence,,"About 200 women farmworkers marched on the Winelands district commissioner of police saying that police were not responding to calls from women on farms affected by sexual assault or Gender-Based Violence, and nor were the police arresting perpetrators."
98,2023-12-06,2023-12-13,2023,,Hammarsdale,KwaZulu-Natal,Private,Food Processing,AFADWU,RCL Foods,Wildcat,500,Union recognition,,,Workers went on strike after the union's organisational rights at Rainbow Chickens were terminated. Rainbow Chickens tried unsuccessfully to interdict the strike in the Labour Court and later reinstated recognition of AFADWU.
99,2023-12-07,2023-12-07,2023,,Gqeberha,Eastern Cape,Public,Local Government,Workers,Government,Wildcat,50,Unpaid wages,Health and Safety,,"Recycling workers hired on stipends by the Department of Environment's Municipal Cleaning and Greening Programme (MCGP) went on strike, supported by the DA, for unpaid wages, and gloves. GroundUp reported that the workers said they work ""eight hours a day at R16 per hour, picking up human faeces without gloves"". They had not yet been paid yet although they started work 2 months before the protest."
100,2023-12-07,2023-12-09,2023,,Rustenburg,North West,Private,Mining,NUM,Wesizwe Bakubung Platinum,Wildcat,250,Wage increase,Retrenchments,,"About 250 NUM members refused to surface for 3 days after finishing their shift, after wage negotiations made no progress and the bosses threatened to retrench 530 workers. The workers demand 100% medical aid contribution, for the company to stop cutting off pregnant women workers' medical aid and pay when they are on maternity leave, and a living out allowance of R6800 per month. The workers also demanded the resignation of the general manager. "
101,2023-12-08,2023-12-11,2023,,Springs,Gauteng,Private,Mining,AMCU,Gold One Modder East,Wildcat,,Union recognition,,,"Mineworkers held another sit in. The reason was not clear but mainstream media reports said it was a resurgence of the dispute in October. Again, the employer and NUM said workers were being held hostage underground. After four days, Gwede Mantashe (minister of Mineral Resources and Energy) threatened to send in the police."
102,2023-12-19,2023-12-21,2023,,Rustenburg,North West,Private,Mining,NUM,Impala Platinum,Wildcat,2000,Pension fund payouts,,,"Workers at the Bafokeng Rasimone Mine went on strike for three days after the mine changed ownership and the workers demanded their pension contributions back. The workers remained underground, stopping production. The NUM said they were not saying the workers should not be disciplined only that they should not be dismissed."
103,2024-01-10,2024-01-10,2024,,Durban,KwaZulu-Natal,Public,Local Government,Workers,eThekwini Municipality,Wildcat,100,Unpaid wages,Termination of contracts,,"100 workers had their contracts terminated by a Public Employment Programme. The programme was run by the municipality, but funded by Presidency's stimulus fund that was set up to provide temporary jobs during Covid-19. The funding ran out and the workers were also not paid for November. Police opened fire on the march with rubber bullets."
104,2024-01-12,,2024,,Kariega,Eastern Cape,Public,Health,NEHAWU,Provincial Department of Health,Wildcat,30,Health and Safety,,,"Staff at the Mabandla clinic in Kariega (former Uitenhage), stopped work because the fence was stolen, meaning that security guards can no longer guard the clinic and staff are at risk of attack by criminals. The workers also said they were shutting down the clinic because the water had been switched off and toilets could not be flushed."
105,2024-01-29,2024-04-08,2024,,Welkom,Free State,Public,Local Government,SAMWU,Matjhabeng Municipality,Protected,300,Against nepotism,,,"Workers began another protected strike, demanding an end to cadre deployment and for Mayor Thanduxolo Khalipha to be removed. The bosses tried to interdict the strike on 2 February but were unsuccessful. The strike was eventually suspended after 10 weeks, so that negotiations could resume."
106,2024-02-01,2024-02-03,2024,,Johannesburg,Gauteng,Public,Transport,SAMWU,Metrobus,Wildcat,20,Unpaid allowances,,,"Workers brought buses to a standstill until management would agree to meet 19 demands, which they did not reveal publicly. Two days later they returned to work saying that they had decided to pursue seven demands, again not disclosed, but which according to the media included Workers ""issues with shifts and not being paid allowances when buses are hired for private trips""."
107,2024-02-07,,2024,,Gqeberha,Eastern Cape,Public,Health,Workers,Livingstone and Dora Nginza public hospitals,Wildcat,700,Unpaid overtime,,,"Doctors, nurses, porters, general workers, cleaners, drivers and food workers at both hospitals went on a go-slow over unpaid overtime"
108,2024-02-08,,2024,,Cape Town,Western Cape,,Education,UCTEU,University of Cape Town,Protected,1400,Wage increase,Collective Bargaining,,"Workers went on strike demanding a 7.5% wage increase for 2024, a further 1.5% increase for 2023 and a unified bargaining forum. The union represents professional, administrative and support service workers. There are also two other unions organising the same workforce at UCT - DETAWU and NEHAWU - who have already signed a wage deal with management."
109,2024-02-14,,2024,,eThekwini,KwaZulu-Natal,Private,Local Government,SAMWU,uShaka Marine World,Protected,100,Wage increase,An end to hourly pay,Fire the senior managers,"Workers went on strike for a 15% wage increase, shutting down the tourist spot. Several months of negotiations with the city had failed. Four days into the strike, the workers marched from the Marine World to City Hall, disclosing that they had not been provided with uniforms since 2017. They demanded a proper grading system, an end to hourly pay and for senior management to be fired."
110,2024-02-15,,2024,,Pretoria,Gauteng,,Education,NEHAWU,University of Pretoria,Protected,,Wage increase,,,"Workers went on strike for a 7% salary increase but the bosses offered only 4%. Workers blockaded the entrance to the university for several days. On 26 February, police attacked workers, shooting them with rubber bullets and firing teargas at them. By 27 February, students had joined the workers in support of the strike demands. By June 2024, workers were still on strike, citing the UNISA 6.6% increase, Nelson Mandela University 6.9% increase, and Wits 6.4% salary increase as reasons for rejecting 4%."
111,2024-02-15,,2024,,Gqeberha,Eastern Cape,Public,Health,Workers,Dora Nginza public hospital,Wildcat,400,Unpaid overtime,,,"After a one week go-slow over unpaid overtime, health workers went on strike and shut the hospital down."
112,2024-02-19,2024-02-19,2024,,Polokwane,Limpopo,,Provincial Government,Workers,"Polokwane municipality, Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment",Wildcat,1500,Unpaid wages,Health and Safety,,"1500 workers held a wildcat strike after they were not paid for two months, nor supplied with protective clothing."
113,2024-02-20,,2024,,Thabazimbi,Limpopo,Private,Mining,NUMSA,Sylvania Platinum Mines,Protected,2000,Wage increase,Housing Allowance,Other allowances,"Workers went on strike for a wage of R17 000 per month, up from R12 999. The employer offered only a 9% increase for workers on the lowest grade and 6% for those workers above the lowest grade. The union also demanded an increase to the housing allowance, commuting allowance, medical aid contribution and standby callout allowance."
114,2024-02-23,,2024,,Several towns,Limpopo,Private,Food Processing,GIWUSA,RCL Foods,Protected,,Wage increase,,,Workers went on strike after the employer rejected their demand for a R600 per month wage increase and offered only R410 per month. This was even worse than the R450 per month increase the workers got last year. Workers at these RCL Foods plants are only earning R5100 per month.
115,2024-02-26,2024-03-14,2024,,Gqeberha,Eastern Cape,Private,Education,NEHAWU,Nelson Mandela University,Protected,200,Wage increase,Increased housing allowance,Increased medical aid benefit,"Workers demanded an 8% wage increase but the university unilaterally implemented a 6.9% increase. The workers also went on strike for an increase to the housing allowance from R1100 to R1500, and for the employer to start paying 60% of the workers' medical aid contributions. The settlement was a 7,45% increase for employees on PL 12 – 16, backdated to 1 March 2023; a benchmarking exercise on the Housing Allowance and Medical Aid benefits in public universities with the outcome to be included in next year's wage talks, and no work no pay for 13 days of the strike to be deducted from workers' annual leave."
116,2024-02-26,2024-03-18,2024,,All cities,National,Private,Wholesale & Retail,BWAWUSA,The Building Company (BUCO),Protected,455,Wage increase,Bonus Pay,Increased provident fund benefit,"Hundreds of workers at 46 of the 48 BUCO stores in South Africa held a three week strike after wage negotiations stalled and conciliation at the CCMA failed. The workers demanded recognition of their union, no work on Sundays, an increase in annual leave and sick days, R6 000 as a basic entry-level salary, a 13th cheque, a 50% employer contribution to a provident fund, and medical aid. The workers said they worked seven days a week and needed more than 38 days sick leave over a three year period. ""Some of the workers earned less than R5 000 a month with no 13th cheque and were not paid overtime for Sunday work"" and some workers toil for 12 consecutive days before getting two days off, workers told the False Bay Echo newspaper."
117,2024-02-27,2024-03-13,2024,,Durban,KwaZulu-Natal,Public,Local Government,SAMWU,eThekwini Municipality,Wildcat,,Unpaid wages,,,"Durban Solid Waste workers downed tools after a general meeting where workers said they were not getting the correct salaries as per the national collective agreement. Workers went on strike, shutting down major roads in the city, including the M4 highway, stopping the water services and ceasing waste collection. Three days later, on 29 February, the municipality interdicted SAMWU but workers continued to strike. 79 workers were then served with disciplinary notices for misconduct. By 13 March, most workers had returned to work while 13 appeared in the magistrate's court, charged with public violence for setting up burning tyres across a road."
118,2024-03-08,2024-03-08,2024,,East London,Eastern Cape,Public,Health,NUPSAW,Provincial Department of Health,Protected,300,For permanent jobs,For benefits,,"A few hundred Community Healthcare Workers marched on the Department of Health's offices in East London, demanding to be insourced. Their union said the workers had to walk through informal settlements and townships to track and trace TB and HIV treatment defaulters but the government did not value this work and kept them on month to month contracts.  The CHWs had no benefits and were becoming depressed after retiring with ""nothing to show for their labour"", the union said."
119,2024-03-10,,2024,,Midrand,Gauteng,,Metal,NUMSA,Rosond,Protected,,Against discrimination,Wage increase,,Blue collar workers who earn only R7000 per month went on strike after being refused the same 13th cheque that the white collar workers get. Rosond is a drilling company that contracts to Amplats mine. The union demanded a R1000 increase for workers on the lowest pay at the company and a R1500 housing allowance. The bosses offered only a R509.04 increase.
120,2024-03-13,2024-03-13,2024,,Gqeberha,Eastern Cape,,Education,NEHAWU,Nelson Mandela University,Protected,300,Wage increase,Better benefits,Against racism,"Workers went on strike again for an ""8% salary increase, better housing allowances, medical scheme benefits and equality between Black and white staff members"", GroundUp reported. Black workers said they were on the minimum salary levels while white workers were paid more for doing the same job. Cosatu, the SACP, SANCO and Sasco supported the strike."
121,2024-03-14,2024-03-14,2024,,Polokwane,Limpopo,,Chemical,NUPSAW,Global Oil Company,Protected,400,For benefits,,,"Workers demanded to be part of the MIBCO provident fund, and to stop working more hours than are required by the Bargaining Council agreement."
122,2024-03-20,2024-03-20,2024,,Gqeberha,Eastern Cape,,Local Government,Workers,Nelson Mandela Bay municipality,Wildcat,200,Unpaid stipends,,,Workers from the Mayoral Cleaning and Greening Programme went on strike and dumped bags of garbage on the steps of City Hall after they were not paid their stipends. The project is funded by national government.
123,2024-04-04,2024-04-11,2024,,Pietermaritzburg,KwaZulu-Natal,,Provincial Government,Workers,KwaZulu-Natal Department of Health,Workplace-related action,57,For permanent jobs,,,"Unemployed doctors held a sit-in at the KZN department of Health after not being employed even though there is a shortage of doctors working in the public health system. A week later, the department advertised 120 doctors' posts."
124,2024-04-10,2024-04-17,2024,,Johannesburg,Gauteng,,Provincial Government,SACSAAWU,"Mjayeli Security; Tshedza Protective Services; Ally's Counter Force security companies, all contracted by the Gauteng Department of Health",Wildcat,70,For permanent jobs,,,"Female security guards went on strike after being forced to work as casual labourers for years, being subjected to unfair dismissals, and being abruptly terminated at work after the security company was changed.  On the seventh day, they stripped naked to highlight their oppression. The workers said they were also not registered with UIF and had no pension fund or medical aid. The workers camped outside the department first then in May moved their protest outside ANC offices in Luthuli House and then outside the offices of the Star newspaper. Twenty-four workers were arrested. By 16 August, 2024, the workers were still camping and had moved back to the Department of Health. "
125,2024-04-11,2024-04-11,2024,,Gqeberha,Eastern Cape,,Local Government,Workers,Nelson Mandela Bay municipality,Wildcat,60,Safety at work,,,"Paramedics marched on the municipality, calling for safety at work after being robbed many times at gunpoint by criminals while trying to collect sick patients in ambulances."
126,2024-04-12,2024-04-12,2024,,Gqeberha,Eastern Cape,,Provincial Government,NUPSAW,Eastern Cape Department of Health,Wildcat,200,For permanent jobs,,,"Community health workers marched on the Department, demanding permanent jobs. They were supported by Cry of the Xcluded. Some of the CHWs are on month to month contracts earning R4480 per month to test dozens of patients for HIV every day - a job that should be done by permanent employees."
127,2024-04-15,2024-04-17,2024,,Hazyview,Mpumalanga,,Provincial Government,"SADTU, NEHAWU",Mpumalanga Department of Education,Wildcat,100,Safety at work,,,Teachers downed tools in protest against being robbed at gunpoint by criminals while teaching classes. Learners have also been robbed during class.
128,2024-04-16,2024-04-19,2024,,Meyerton,Gauteng,,Metal,NUMSA,SA Steel Mills,Wildcat,200,Union recognition,,,"Workers went on strike, demanding that the employer recognise NUMSA and allow them to be represented by shopstewards. The strike was interdicted on 19 April but most workers only heard about the interdict by 23 May.  The employer later suspended over 200 workers on 30 April for not getting back to work soon enough."
129,2024-04-17,2024-04-17,2024,,Johannesburg,Gauteng,,Private Security,"NASAWU, FEDUSA","Sakhile Ezweni, Black Industrial Africa",Wildcat,200,Late payment,No uniforms,,"The security guards who are hired protect SASSA office downed tools against being paid late most of the time, never getting a pay increase, and being threatened with dismissal when they complain about bad working conditions."
130,2024-04-19,2024-04-19,2024,,Gqeberha,Eastern Cape,,Provincial Government,Workers,Eastern Cape Department of Education,Protected,300,Safety at work,,,"Teachers and principals marched with learners and school governing body members to the Motherwell police station against the lack of security at township schools. GroundUp reported that since November 2023, 131 schools in the Nelson Mandela Bay region have been robbed by criminals, mostly at gunpoint."
131,2024-04-19,2024-05-17,2024,,eThekwini,KwaZulu-Natal,,Transport,NEHAWU,Dube Trade Port Corporation,Protected,112,Wage increase,,,"Workers went on strike after months of negotiations failed. They demanded a 13th cheque, to be treated with dignity, a wage increase, housing allowance and an increased employer contribution to the provident fund and medical aid. They settled after almost one month on strike on a 6.5% pay increase, a 12% increase in the employer contribution to medical aid and a transport and call out allowance."
132,2024-04-22,2024-04-22,2024,,Mahikeng,North West,,Provincial Government,DENOSA,North West provincial Department of Health,Workplace-related action,200,For permanent jobs,,,"Over 200 unemployed nurses held a sit-in at the Department, against government's refusal to employ them after they completed their community service (even though the public health system is understaffed)."
133,2024-04-23,2024-04-23,2024,,Pietermaritzburg,KwaZulu-Natal,,Provincial Government,NUPSAW,KwaZulu-Natal provincial government,Protected,600,For permanent jobs,,,"EPWP workers, security guards, food handlers, cleaners and community health workers who are all hired on short term contracts marched on the Premier in Pietermaritzburg to demand absorption into the permanent workforce. The workers also demanded that they be placed in the many vacant posts in the provincial government."
134,2024-04-23,2024-04-23,2024,,Tshwane,Gauteng,,Private Security,Workers,Various private security companies contracted by City of Tshwane,Workplace-related action,180,For permanent jobs,For wages to be paid on time,,Security guards from 22 different companies contracted by the city of Tshwane held a night vigil to demand insourcing. Some of the workers have been on short term contracts continuously for 14 years and go for months at a time without salaries when the companies fail to pay them on time.
135,2024-04-26,2024-04-29,2024,,Cape Town,Western Cape,,E-hailing,WCEA,"Uber, Bolt, inDrive",Wildcat,,Against poor working conditions,,,"E-hailing drivers held a 3 day stayaway, boycotting the Cape Town International Airport over poor working conditions including a lack of toilet facilities, and a lack of parking spaces for the taxis to queue up to get passengers."
136,2024-05-01,2024-05-01,2024,,Soweto,Gauteng,,Mining,NUM,Sibanye-Stillwater; Tripartite Alliance,Workplace-related action,,Against the Tripartite Alliance,,,"Mineworkers disrupted the Alliance MayDay rally, unhappy about retrenchments at Sibanye-Stillwater. According to GroundUp, the workers held up posters condemning the ANC, COSATU and Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy Gwede Mantashe over the silence of the ANC and trade unions in the face of workers’ struggles. They allegedly cut the microphone wires so that politicians could not speak and drowned out other speeches."
137,2024-05-01,2024-05-01,2024,,eThekwini,KwaZulu-Natal,,Fishing,Workers,KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government,Workplace-related action,100,Right to work,,,"100 fishers marched in protest at having been banned from fishing off EThekwini's beach piers, which extend out into the sea. The fishers were banned in 2009 and have struggled to survive since, and also 200-300 fishers have been arrested since 2009 for continuing to fish off the piers."
138,2024-05-01,2024-05-02,2024,,Johannesburg,Gauteng,,Provincial Government,NUPSAW,Gauteng Provincial Government,Protected,2000,For permanent jobs,,,"About 2000 workers marched on the provincial government, demanding that short term contract workers hired by the Department of Health and EPWP be made permanent. The workers had been on short term contracts for up to 10 years each. They had held a night vigil the night before - the night of May Day. About 150 workers resumed their camp outside City Hall in November 2024. On 9 December 2024, they held a protest and about 35 workers stripped naked and were arrested for indecency."
138,2024-05-02,2024-05-02,2024,,"East London, Qonce, Peddie, Queenstown, Butterworth, Dutywa",East London,,Transport,Workers,Eastern Cape Department of Transport,Wildcat,400,unpaid wages,,,"Scholar transport operators contracted by the provincial government went on strike across the province after they were not paid. They blocked major roads leading in and out of cities, bringing the province to a standstill. The provincial government blamed ""technical difficulties""."
139,2024-05-07,2024-06-03,2024,,Rustenburg,North West,,Local Government,SAMWU,Rustenburg Local Municipality,Protected,400,Wage increase,,,"Workers went on strike demanding to be paid the salaries of category 7 municipal workers- they were only being paid at category 5. The strike was settled after the municipality agreed to reclassify itself as category 6, meaning the workers will also get a wage increase."
140,2024-05-07,2024-05-08,2024,,Tshwane,Gauteng,,Local Government,SAMWU,City of Tshwane,Wildcat,60,Demanding a meeting with management,,,"Bus drivers from Tshwane Bus Services went on strike for two days, bringing the bus service to a standstill. The workers had asked for a meeting with management of the municipality to discuss various grievances but management did not show up."
141,2024-05-09,,2024,,Rustenburg,North West,,Local Government,SAMWU,Rustenburg Local Municipality,Protected,,For proper grading,,,Workers went on strike after the municipality refused to implement the agreed grading process from 2010 which should have seen them earning higher salaries. The union demanded that the grading system be implemented and outstanding money backpaid.
142,2024-05-11,2024-05-11,2024,,West Rand,Gauteng,,Mining,NUM,Sibanye-Stillwater,Protected,600,Against retrenchments,,,Hundreds of mine workers marched against the proposed retrenchment of 575 employees with a further 550 to take voluntary severance. The workers demanded the axing of Sibanye-Stillwater CEO Neal Froneman who is paid about R300 million per year.
143,2024-05-15,,2024,,Johannesburg,Gauteng,,Local Government,DEMAWUSA,Pikitup,Wildcat,,For permanent jobs,,,"Workers went on strike, preventing garbage trucks from leaving the depot. Their demand was an end to casual employment. Some have been casuals for 10 years. By 21 May, the City of Johannesburg had interdicted the strike. But workers continued to strike anyway."
144,2024-05-16,2024-05-16,2024,,Johannesburg,Gauteng,,Co-operatives,Workers,Gauteng Provincial Social Development Department,Wildcat,,Unpaid wages,,,Workers from 21 sewing cooperatives protested outside the Gauteng Province Social Development after they were not paid for providing school uniforms to the province. They were supposed to be paid by the first week in March.
145,2024-05-17,2024-05-17,2024,,Cape Town,Western Cape,,Provincial Government,NUPSAW,Western Cape Provincial Department of Health,Protected,,For permanent jobs,,,About 2000 workers marched to demand that the provincial government permanently absorb CHWs and Lay Counsellors into the Western Cape Department of Health on the DPSA's salary level 5. They also demanded a Danger Allowance and the same tokens of appreciation that other health workers under the same Bargaining Council get.
146,2024-05-20,,2024,,eThekwini,KwaZulu-Natal,,Wholesale & Retail,DPYUSA,SG Convenience,Protected,60,Wage increase,,,"Workers went on strike for a 15% wage increase, subsidised medical aid and better working conditions from the distribution company."
147,2024-05-22,,2024,,Meyerton,Gauteng,,Metal,NUMSA,SA Steel Mills,Wildcat,,Against dismissals,Union recognition,,Workers began striking again after the company dismissed 162 workers for taking part in what the bosses described as an unlawful strike in mid-April. The workers said they would strike indefinitely until all were reinstated. On 28 May the union held a march demanding reinstatement of the workers and full recognition of the union and shopstewards.
148,2024-05-23,2024-05-23,2024,,Cape Town,Western Cape,,Sex Workers,SWEAT,National Government,Workplace-related action,100,For decriminalisation of sex work,,,"Sex workers picketed outside Parliament, voicing concerns about what would happen to their decades long campaign for decriminalisation of their work. This would mean sex workers would have labour rights and it would be easier for them to seek protection. They were joined by the Sisonke national sex worker's movement and Gender DynamiX, the Asijiki Coalition for the Decriminalisation of Sex Workers, Triangle Project, Imbawula Queer Podcast, Gender Equity Unit."
149,2024-05-25,2024-05-25,2024,,Germiston,Gauteng,,Provincial Government,Workers,Gauteng Provincial Government,Workplace-related action,100,For permanent jobs,,,"About 100 workers from the Lungile Mtshali Development Plan Project (provincial government job creation project) protested, demanding permanent jobs. They had been dismissed several years earlier. They won their case in the Labour Court but later, the Labour Appeal Court upheld their dismissal, and the workers were protesting because many still want their jobs back."
150,2024-05-26,2024-05-27,2024,,Bisho,Eastern Cape,,Provincial Government,NUPSAW,Eastern Cape Provincial Health Department,Workplace-related action,500,For permanent jobs,,,"NUPSAW held a night vigil and then a march the next day, demanding that Community Health Workers, pharmacy assistants and paramedics be permanently employed. Although there are severe staffing shortages in the Provincial health service, there is also a jobs freeze and many of these health workers are either on short term contracts or sitting at home unemployed. The union also demanded that all vacant posts should be filled."
151,2024-06-03,2024-06-05,2024,,Kroondal,North West,,Mining,AMCU,Sibanye Stillwater,Wildcat,200,Unfair payments,,,"About 200 workers remained underground for more than 24 hours in a strike against payments from an Employee Share Ownership Scheme being paid to some workers and not others. Some workers were instantly dismissed after the strike, workers said."
152,2024-06-07,2024-06-07,2024,,Sandton,Gauteng,,Metal,NUMSA,SA Steel Mills,Workplace-related action,40,Union recognition,,,The workers picketed outside the Industrial Development Corporation against SA Steel Mills' dismissal of 162 workers for striking earlier in the year. The union also demanded that Numsa be recognised as the majority union.
153,2024-06-10,2024-06-10,2024,,Kroondal,North West,,Mining,AMCU,Sibanye Stillwater,Workplace-related action,200,Demanding reinstatement,,,The workers protested against being fired for staging a wildcat strike the week before. The workers demanded reinstatement.
154,2024-06-12,2024-06-12,2024,,Chatsworth,KwaZulu-Natal,,Private Security,Workers,Mafoko Security; Calvin and Family Security,Workplace-related action,60,For permanent jobs,,,"Over 50 workers protested outside RK Khan public hospital after losing their jobs in 2023 when the provincial health department changed security companies. They had been on month to month contracts with Mafoko Security to guard three hospitals but after their June 2023 salaries were not paid, they went on strike and were dismissed. Some workers were later hired by the new security company, Calvin and Family, but were then laid off on 6 May 2024."
155,2024-06-13,,2024,,National,Nationwide,,Private Security,SATAWU,G4 Cash Solution Management,Protected,,Against unfair dismissals,,,An unspecified number of workers who transport money to banks and retail stores went on strike after they were unprocedurally retrenched by G4S who claimed they were bankrupt. The union said no retrenchment procedures had been followed.
156,2024-06-14,,2024,,National,Nationwide,,Private Security,MTWU,Cash-in-transit Employers' Associations,Protected,,Health and Safety ,,,"The union's members in the cash-in-transit business went on strike against being attacked while transporting cash. They demanded that at least 3 guards work in every cash-in-transit van, and not only two, saying that every week a van was bombed, shot at and a worker killed or injured."
157,2024-06-20,2024-06-24,2024,,Boksburg,Gauteng,,Wholesale & Retail,SWF,Core Group,Protected,80,Wage increase,For benefits,,"The strike began after wage negotiations deadlocked and conciliation failed. Workers demanded a R1700 per month increase, a guaranteed 13th cheque and a 10% provident fund contribution from the employer. They settled on a R1100 monthly wage increase."
158,2024-06-21,,2024,,Johannesburg,Gauteng,,Transport,TASWU,Grindrod Logistics Ltd,Protected,85,For permanent jobs,,,"Workers went on strike after 85 were unjustly retrenched and dismissed because the company wanted to increase its use of labour brokers and subcontractors. The company's profits increased by 16% last year, yet they began casualising: retrenching workers and hiring them back through labour brokers."
159,2024-06-25,2024-06-26,2024,,Msunduzi,KwaZulu-Natal,,Local Government,"SAMWU, IMATU",Msunduzi Municipality,Wildcat,400,Unpaid wages,Reduction in night allowance payment,,Workers blocked the entrance to the municipality with garbage after not being paid their wages. The municipality agreed to pay within three days of the strike.
160,2024-06-28,,2024,,Sandton,Gauteng,,Food Processing,GIWUSA,Ribas Manufacturers,Protected,100,Wage increase,,,"The workers, who only earn the minimum wage, went on strike for a R4 per hour increase. The employer offered only an R1.75 per hour increase. The workers work 10 hour shifts making TOP brand sauces and only get a 30 minute break. Some workers have been at the factory for 10 years, never earning more than the minimum wage while others spend most of their pay on transport."
161,2024-07-04,2024-07-11,2024,,Pretoria,Gauteng,,Metal,NUMSA,Ford,Protected,3000,For a profit share,,,"Workers went on strike for a share of Ford's profits after the company made over R500 billion in profits over the past four years globally. In November 2023, the company said its South Africa plant would be the only one making hybrid electric bakkies, which are very profitable. The strike was interdicted a day later and the union settled four days later with an agreement for workers to receive a once off R20 000 payment."
162,2024-07-07,2024-07-26,2024,19 days,Midrand,Gauteng,,Transport,NUMSA,Bombela Operating Company (Gautrain),Protected,286,Wage increase,,,"Workers went on strike for a 13% wage increase, after bonuses of R22 000 were given to management only. The employer offered 5.6%. The union later dropped its demand to 9%, plus a 60% medical aid contribution from the company and to be compensated for having to work a six day week. The Gautrain workers don't get overtime payments on Saturday. The strike continued for almost 3 weeks and the union settled on a 6.8% across the board increase, a R7 per shift increase on the night work transport subsidy, a R2 per shift increase to the night shift allowance, a R90 per month increase to the housing subsidy, and a 6.8% increase to the performance bonus."
163,2024-07-15,2024-07-17,2024,,Makhanda,Eastern Cape,,Local Government,SAMWU,Makana Municipality,Wildcat,,Health and Safety,,,Makana refuse removal workers went on strike and refused to collect refuse for three days after not being provided with protective clothing. The municipality still uses old trucks and bakkies and workers have to hoist the garbage bags by hand.
164,2024-07-15,,2024,,"Cape Town, East London, EThekwini, Johannesburg, Gqeberha",Nationwide,,Aviation,NUMSA,Menzies Aviation,Protected,,For permanent jobs,,,"Workers went on strike demanding to be converted from permanent hourly paid work to permanent monthly paid work. The workers do not get paid sick or annual leave under the hourly paid system - they only get paid for the hours they work. The workers demanded a minimum 195 hours of work per month, but the employer only offered 165 hours per month at all airports and 195 hours per month at OR Tambo, which the union rejected."
165,2024-07-17,,2024,,Kimberley,Northern Cape,,Non-profit,HOSPERSA,Helen Bishop home,Wildcat,48,Unpaid wages,,,"Workers at the home caring for children with mental and physical disabilities went on strike after not being paid since May. The employer had referred them to the Department of Health, who referred them back to the employer."
166,2024-07-19,,2024,,eThekwini,KwaZulu-Natal,,Local Government,MATUSA,eThekwini Municipality,Wildcat,9000,For permanent jobs,,,"EPWP workers went on strike after an internal memorandum was leaked to social media announcing that 9000 EPWP workers would have their contracts cancelled. This was supposedly because the funder of the programme, the Department of Public Works, reduced the budget by R42 million. Some of the EPWP workers have been in the job for 10 years and do the job of municipal workers in removing refuse. The workers told Elitsha News that UIF is deducted from their wages of R3000 per month but that the employer has probably not registered them with the Unemployment Insurance Fund. The workers continued to camp outside the city hall for 5 days."
167,2024-07-22,2024-08-02,2024,,Pretoria,Gauteng,,Regulatory Bodies,NEHAWU,South African Bureau of Standards,Protected,300,Changes to working conditions,,,"The strike began following a salary harmonisation process where SABS unilaterally changed the terms and conditions of employment without consulting the union. Conciliation failed. A new payment structure was implemented and housing allowance, medical aid and 13th cheque were taken away. The union demanded an end to any payment changes, and for SABS to maintain the benefits. Nehawu also demanded that SABS must fairly place employees absorbed from their 12-24 months graduate programme during the organisational review process. The strike ended after 2 weeks with a settlement of a 4% to 5.8% wage increase, backdated to 1 April 2024. "
168,2024-07-31,2024-08-15,2024,,Krugersdorp,Gauteng,,Food Processing,SAICWU,Rhodes Food Group,Protected,,Wage increase,,,"The union went on strike for a three year wage agreement with an increase of R700 per month in the first year, R800 per month in the second year, and R900 per month in the third year. The bosses locked out the workers and on the second day, called police to teargas workers and shoot workers with rubber bullets. The strike went on for 3 weeks and the union settled on R620 per month for the first year and R650 per month for the second year."
169,2024-08-07,2024-08-07,2024,,Johannesburg,Gauteng,,Local Government,SAWPA,City of Johannesburg,Workplace-related action,200,For permanent jobs,Health and Safety,,"Over 200 waste pickers marched on the city demanding that it halt its plans to incinerate the waste that the recyclers usually recycle. They also called for waste pickers to be compensated for collecting cans, plastic and cardboard and to be provided with PPE, trolleys and motorbikes to collect their recycling."
170,2024-08-13,,2024,,Cape Town,Western Cape,,Private Security,Workers,Unknown,Wildcat,,For permanent jobs,,,Security guards working at SASSA offices in Cape Town went on strike for the day because of a labour dispute. No further information was available.
171,2024-08-15,2024-08-15,2024,,Johannesburg,Gauteng,,Food Processing,SWF,Registrar of Labour Relations,Workplace-related action,300,Union recognition,,,Members of the Simunye Workers Forum marched on the Labour Appeal Court where the Registrar of Labour Relations was appealing the July 2023 Labour Court ruling ordering him to register SWF as a union. 
172,2024-08-16,,2024,,Gqeberha,Eastern Cape,,Food Processing,FAWU,Heineken,Protected,70,For the correct pay,,,"Members of FAWU went on strike because they were not being paid overtime on Saturdays and were only paid time and a half, instead of double time, on Sundays. The employer claimed he had compressed their working week and was allowed to do away with overtime and weekend rates."
173,2024-08-19,2024-11-01,2024,,Wadeville,Gauteng,,Food Processing,SWF,Mister Sweet,Protected,,Wage increase,,,"The Simunye Workers Forum began a strike at Mister Sweet for a R19 500 per month basic wage and for a R15 per hour increase for workers earning more than R19 500 per month. Some workers had been working at Mister Sweet for 10 years and are still earning only R6000 per month. The bosses locked the workers out and threatened to deduct money from their 6% wage offer if the strike continued for longer than one day. The strike continued for 11 weeks. At least two casual workers had their fingers chopped off by Mister Sweet machinery during the strike. The eventual settlement was 7% for operators, 6% for general workers (2024);  6% for operators; 5% for general workers (2025); 6% for operators; 5% for general workers (2026)."
174,2024-08-20,2024-08-20,2024,,Cape Town,Western Cape,,E-hailing,WCEA,Uber; Bolt,Wildcat,,Health and Safety,,,"Uber and Bolt drivers went on strike for one day. After the strike ended, they announced they would strike for one day every month for the next four months. The drivers are striking over attacks on them by minibus taxi owners and vigilantes which the Uber and Bolt bosses have done nothing to stop. The e-hailing drivers want to go cashless so that they cannot be robbed or targeted as much."
175,2024-08-22,2024-08-22,2024,,Johannesburg,Gauteng,,Local Government,SAMWU,City of Johannesburg,Wildcat,3000,Wage increase,,,"SAMWU members in Johannesburg blocked the M1 and M2 highways, marching along the busy roads and barricading them with rocks and burning tyres, in support of their national 8% wage demand. Three rounds of national negotiations had already taken place with employers demanding to cap the increase at 6% for this year, and by CPI + 0.75% for year two and three and CPI + 1.25% for year four and five; with a 4.5% increase to the homeowner allowance and medical aid this year. The minimum wage offer is an increase from R9,531 to R9,960, and an increase to R10,109 by 2025."
176,2024-08-22,,2024,,Makhanda,Eastern Cape,,Local Government,SAMWU,Makana Municipality,Wildcat,,Unpaid overtime,,,Workers went on an extended strike after being asked to work after hours repairing water and electricity problems and not being paid overtime. The municipality said it had to pay Eskom outstanding debt and had no money left to pay the workers' overtime. The strike resulted in prolonged water and electricity outages for a few days at a time.
177,2024-08-22,,2024,,Emakhalathini,KwaZulu-Natal,,Mining,NUM,Zululand Anthracite Colliery,Protected,300,Wage increase,,,"Workers went on strike for a wage increase after management tried to impose a CPI increase only, and a 13th cheque that is dependent on workers meeting production targets. The managing director of the company sidelined the NUM's negotiating team and threatened to retrench any worker who went on strike. This is the same company that retrenched all workers during the COVID-19 pandemic, despite a directive from the Department of Minerals and Energy against such actions. The union has called on the Department of Minerals and Energy to withdraw the mining rights from the employer if they proceed to retrench striking workers."
178,2024-08-26,,2024,,Springs,Gauteng,,Food Processing,NUFBWSAW,Frio Foods,Protected,300,Union recognition,,,"300 workers embarked on a protracted strike for recognition of their union, NUFBWSAW. The bosses were deducting UIF and provident fund payments and not paying these monies over. The company has about 500 workers in total, mainly women and the employer refuses to engage with them at all."
179,2024-08-27,2024-08-27,2024,,Cape Town,Western Cape,,Agriculture,WFP,Commercial farms,Workplace-related action,150,Health and Safety,Against pesticides,,"Farmworkers marked on the German consulate in Cape Town to demand an end to the export of harmful pesticides from German companies. The march was part of the ‘Double Standards Pesticides‘ campaign which demands the banning of 67 pesticides, which are banned in the European Union but still used by commercial farmers in South Africa."
180,2024-08-28,2024-08-28,2024,,Johannesburg,Gauteng,,Food Processing,SWF,Mister Sweet,Workplace-related action,100,Wage increase,,,"Activists protested outside the Public Investment Corporate in Pretoria and the Allan Gray offices in Rosebank, demanding a R19 500 per month basic living wage. The workers had been on strike for 8 days by now. Mister Sweet belongs to Premier, which made over R3 billion in profits last year. Premier itself is owned by big investment companies including Titan Premier Investments, Allan Gray and even the Public Investment Corporation (PIC). "
181,2024-08-29,,2024,,Mahikeng,North West,,Private Security,"AWU, KAWU, NUMSA, SANSAWF, SATAWU",400 security companies,Wildcat,500,Unpaid benefit deductions,Unfair deductions,Unregistered companies,Mukurukuru Media reported that workers went on strike and protested outside the North West provincial government for hiring 400 security companies who refused to comply with the main collective agreement. The unions said the companies were deducting money from workers for medical aid and provident funds without paying this over and some of the companies where not even registered.
182,2024-08-30,2024-09-03,2024,,Cape Town,Western Cape,,Private Security,Workers,Golden Security Services,Wildcat,110,Unpaid wages,,,Guards working at Groote Schuur hospital and Heideveld day hospital downed tools after not being paid all their wages. The guards said they only get paid R6000 per month and large sums are deducted randomly for leave without pay even if the guards have not taken leave. The Labour Court granted an interim interdict against them on 3 September.
183,2024-09-02,2024-09-03,2024,,Mdantsane,Eastern Cape,,Water Board,SAMWU,Amatola Water Board,Wildcat,400,Mismanagement,,,"Workers went on strike over mismanagement by the Water Board, including a failure to hear workers' grievances for up to two years, and unfilled vacancies which mean that workers are overworked. The strikers switched off the water to Buffalo City for two days."
184,2024-08-15,2024-08-18,2024,,Tshwane,Gauteng,,Local Government,SAMWU,City of Tshwane,Wildcat,60,Against disciplinary hearings,,,Bus drivers from Tshwane Bus Services went on strike for three days in protest against 48 drivers being called to disciplinary hearings for striking on 7 and 8 May.
185,2024-09-16,,2024,,Pretoria,Gauteng,,Metal,NUMSA,BMW,Wildcat,,Dismissals,,,"Workers went on strike against mass dismissals but the employer said the protest was a response to alleged fraud in the BMW Employees Medical Aid Scheme and that six workers hadbeen arrested, 20 dismissed and over 500 were facing disciplinaries."
186,2024-09-17,2024-09-17,2024,,Cape Town,Western Cape,,E-hailing,WCEA,"Uber, Bolt, inDrive",Wildcat,250,Exploitative practices,Low pay,,"The E-hailing drivers kicked off a series of mass actions, striking against drivers being unfairly removed from the system by employers to be reinstated and low pay. GroundUp reported that they want improved driver safety features and an end to “unfair car age limits” where only cars that are three years old and less can be driven for Uber. The drivers also went on strike against City Council delays in granting them permits."
187,2024-09-21,2024-09-21,2024,,Cape Town,Western Cape,,Agriculture,CSAAWU,Groot Constantia Wine Estate,Wildcat,,Against evictions,,,CSAAWU members marched against farmworkers being evicted. They marched to the Groot Constantia wine estate.
188,2024-09-24,2024-09-24,2024,,Cape Town,Western Cape,,Private Security,"KAWU, NUMSA, SATAWU, AWU",Security companies,Workplace-related action,800,Unpaid benefit deductions,,,"The unions protested outside Parliament, calling on the government to rethink its tender process for security companies, because it is hiring security companies who deduct pension and medical aid contributions from workers but don't pay them over to the funds."
189,2024-10-02,2024-10-02,2024,,eThekwini,KwaZulu-Natal,,Mining,NUM,Zululand Anthracite Colliery,Workplace-related action,200,Wage increase,For benefits,,The workers marched to the Department of Minerals and Energy and demanded it intervene in the long running wage dispute. The march was part of the strike which began on 22 August. The wage dispute started four years ago when the company fired hundreds of workers during Covid-19. It later re-employed them without 13th cheques and threatened to retrench the workers if they objected.
190,2024-10-03,2024-10-21,2024,,Gqeberha,Eastern Cape,,Transport,SAEWA,DSV Transport and Logistics,Wildcat,250,Wage increase,,,"Workers downed tools for a wage increase after finding that their wages were much lower than others in the sector. Within five days the workers were suspended and called to disciplinary hearings. The employer did not show up at the hearings and after two hours, the chairperson of the hearing vanished. On 21 October, the company fired 250 workers by SMS, accusing them of ""gross misconduct"" for going on strike."
191,2024-10-07,2024-10-07,2024,,Komatipoort,Mpumalanga,,Agriculture,Cosatu,Sonoma Investments CC,Workplace-related action,300,Wage increase,No sick leave,Child Labour,"COSATU members marched in solidarity with farmworkers on Sonoma Investments farm, demanding an end to child labour, for the national minimum wage to be implemented, for payslips for workers, for public holidays, sick and annual leave, for an end to workers being forced to pay for uniforms, for electricity and running water in the workers' accomodation, and for the bosses to stop preventing the workers' children from attending school."
192,2024-10-07,2024-10-07,2024,,National,Nationwide,,All,Cosatu,Government and Private Sector,Workplace-related action,11 000,Economic crisis,,,"COSATU unions called a day of action against poverty, joblessness and inequality. They called for a moratorium on all retrenchments, and an end to the privatisation of state-owned enterprises such as the Post Office. In the Western Cape, COSATU rejected the provincial government's plans to cut teachers’ jobs; and the relentless attacks on collective bargaining. "
193,2024-10-08,2024-10-08,2024,,Polokwane,Limpopo,,Transport,Workers,Great North Transport,Workplace-related action,500,Unpaid pensions,,,"GroundUp reported that hundreds of retired workers and family members of deceased workers began holding sit-ins and night vigils at the Limpopo Premier’s office demanding their unpaid pensions and provident fund monies. They worked at 11 depots, including those in Giyani, Makhado, and Phalaborwa.  They had been paying into a pension fund and R300-million of their pension money vanished."
194,2024-10-08,,2024,,Springs,Gauteng,,Private Security,Workers,Mjayeli Security Services,Wildcat,,Unpaid salaries,,,"Workers went on strike over unpaid salaries. The company had not paid the workers their September salaries by 15 October, claiming that they had not been paid for a contract."
195,2024-10-18,2024-10-18,2024,,Durban,KwaZulu-Natal,,Textile,"SACTWU, COSATU",Department of Employment and Labour,Workplace-related action,,Against hiring workers from other countries,,,"The workers marched against undocumented workers from other countries taking up jobs in the textile sector, saying South Africans should be first preference for such jobs, and that workers from other countries were being exploited as cheap labour. The unions gave Home Affairs and the Department of Employment and Labour 14 days to respond."
196,2024-10-21,2024-10-23,2024,,Johannesburg,Gauteng,,Wholesale & Retail,FAWUSA,Lupo Bakery,Protected,250,Wage increase,,,The FAWUSA members went on strike for three days for a 13% wage increase and employer contribution to UIF after wage negotiations failed. The strike ended with a settlement on a 10% increase and a 2% employer contribution to UIF.
197,2024-10-24,2024-10-24,2024,,Centurion,Gauteng,,Metal,NUMSA,Denel,Workplace-related action,,Wage increase,,,Workers picketed outside Denel for the day because they have had no salary increases for the past five years.
198,2024-10-29,2024-10-29,2024,,Alberton,Gauteng,,Food Processing,SWF,Department of Employment and Labour,Workplace-related action,400,Health and Safety,,,"Mister Sweet workers, who had been on strike for 10 weeks, protested outside the Department's office in Alberton after the department sent an inspector to the factory in response to a call from SWF after several workers were injured by Mister Sweet machinery, including two workers having their fingers chopped off. However, the inspector never released a report but instead left the factory carrying bags of sweets from the bosses."
199,2024-10-29,2024-10-29,2024,,Johannesburg,Gauteng,,Health,NEHAWU,Department of Health,Workplace-related action,300,For permanent jobs,,,"Community Health Workers picketed outside their Labour Court case. They've brought the case to review a bargaining council arbitration award that ruled against the union’s application to compel the Department of Health to give community health workers permanent employment, GroundUp reported. About 50 000 community health workers are on short terms contracts in South Africa. The contracts are repeatedly renewed and the workers lose out on all benefits of permanent positions. Some of the workers have been on these short-term contracts for 20 years."
200,2024-10-30,2024-10-30,2024,,Cape Town,Western Cape,,All,"SAFTU, COSATU",National Government,Workplace-related action,500,Against austerity,For permanent jobs,,"Workers marched on Parliament against the Finance Minister's medium term budget. They were supported by civic organisations. The demands were permanent jobs for all, an end to the government's austerity measures, an end to budget cuts to education that mean teachers will be laid off and for regulated petrol prices, so that workers do not have to spend up to 40% of their salaries on transport."
201,2024-11-05,2024-11-05,2024,,Johannesburg,Gauteng,,Local Government,Workers,Pikitup/City of Johannesburg,Workplace-related action,200,For permanent jobs,,,"200 EPWP workers who had been working as casual employees at Pikitup protested outside the Mayor's office after 300 jobs were advertised and none given to the casual workers. The workers said corruption and nepotism were to blame. Some of the workers have been in the casual role since 2021 and only earn R120 per day, or R2400 for a full month's work."
202,2024-11-13,,2024,,Johannesburg,Gauteng,,Private Security,Workers,Amabhokobhoko Security Services,Wildcat,,For payment of salaries,,,"Security guards contracted to guard Joburg Water downed tools after not being paid on time. Joburg Water blamed the City of Johannesburg for not releasing the funds to them on time, saying they could not pay the workers. By 22 November, Joburg Water had interdicted the strike."
203,2024-11-14,2024-11-28,2024,,Johannesburg,Gauteng,,Metal,NUMSA,Arcelor Mittal South Africa,Protected,400,Against retrenchments,,,"Workers went on strike after over 107 workers were retrenched. On the 5th of November the bosses rushed to issue notices of dismissal, and refused to engage on alternatives, NUMSA said. Workers went on strike for two weeks and ended the strike after reaching that some retrenched workers could apply for other vacancies, and some might be considered for training. NUMSA then called on the government to rescue the Newcastle plant."
204,2024-11-20,,2024,,Pretoria,Gauteng,,Education,Workers,Department of Basic Education,Workplace-related action,100,Against austerity,,,Early childhood development workers marched against the government calling for more funding for school nutrition and an increase to the government subsidy which is just R17 per child per day.
205,2024-11-25,,2024,,Cofimvaba,Eastern Cape,,Health,DENOSA,Eastern Cape Department of Health,Wildcat,160,Against the CEO,Against favouritism,,GroundUp reported that nurses went on strike at Cofimvaba Hospital demanding the removal of the CEO on the grounds that she insulted and disrespected them.
206,2024-12-04,2024-12-04,2024,,Sebokeng,Gauteng,,Health,NUPSAW,Sebokeng Hospital,Wildcat,200,,,,"Workers downed tools and demanded that staff vacancies be filled, an end to austerity measures, immediate payment of overtime and that hospital bosses provide security for health workers who are being attacked at work."
207,2024-12-05,2024-12-08,2024,,National,Nationwide,,Aviation,SAAPA,South African Airways,Protected,100,Against austerity,Against short staffing,Health and Safety,"SAA pilots went on strike for three days for a wage increase of 15.47%. The employer offered only 8.46% backdated to April, which the pilots rejected. During the strike, 60% of flights were cancelled. The workers settled after two days for a 9.47% increase."
207,2024-12-12,2024-12-12,2024,,Johannesburg,Gauteng,,Local Government,SAMWU,City of Johannesburg,Wildcat,1300,Wage increase,,,"Workers went on strike against corruption after hearing that councillors had increased their salaries by R6000 per month, yet refused to pay workers more. One worker was badly injured by police. The workers blocked the M1 highway for 24 hours."
208,2025-01-09,2025-01-09,2025,,Gqeberha,Eastern Cape,,Health,NUPSAW,Eastern Cape Department of Health,Workplace-related action,,Against short-staffing,,,"Nurses and community members picketed outside Motherwell clinic, demanding more staff. The clinic had only two professional nurses who are expected to see hundreds of patients every day and therefore had to shut down."