5 May 2026
Security guards stationed at Chris Hani District Municipality properties in Tarkastad in the Eastern Cape march to council offices last week. The guards are employed by private companies contracted by the municipality. Photo: Nombulelo Damba-Hendrik.
At least 50 security guards stationed at Chris Hani District Municipality properties in Tarkastad in the Eastern Cape have been on strike since 19 April over their unpaid wages.
The guards are employed by private companies contracted by the district municipality. They say they were last paid in full in June 2025. Since then, they have either been partially paid or not paid at all.
The group first marched to the district’s offices in December and again in February but received no response. A week ago, their representatives joined a community service delivery march, urging the municipality to intervene.
Komani community leader Xola Njokweni said they were approached by guards from Whittlesea, Komani and Tarkastad, who told them the municipality had not paid the companies which is why they had not been paid.
Njokweni said when they asked the municipality, they were told the responsibilities of employment fell on the private companies, not the municipality.
On Monday, protesting guards met with district officials to discuss their grievances. Bongani Yose, a guard, said they had submitted several petitions to the municipality. Yose claims there are about 500 guards across the district who are affected.
“Since July, we either get R2,500 or nothing at month-end. That is why we decided to stop working until we are paid in full,” he said.
He said the companies they work for had blamed the delay in payments on the municipality, a claim the council has denied.
We attempted to contact the four security companies – Tyekana Protection and Cleaning services, SOV Security Services, Siyazu Security Services, and Reliable Guards Security and Cleaning services. None of them have responded to our requests for comment.
At Siyazu Security Services, a receptionist took our details and undertook to arrange a response, but subsequent calls went unanswered. SOV’s general manager, Thabo Mandila, also promised to respond but did not. Questions sent to Mr Gomba at Tyekana Protection went unanswered, while calls to Reliable Security Company went straight to voicemail.
Municipal spokesperson Nangamso Ngceke confirmed that the district municipality has contracts with the four security companies. She said the companies are paid monthly in line with contractual agreements.
Where administrative processes affect payment timelines, prior arrangements are made with the companies, she said.
Yose said the municipality promised to respond to the guards by the end of the week. The strike continues.
