An industrial action that brought the operations of the Tsumeb Municipality to a halt has ended after an agreement was reached with the Namibia Local Authority Workers Union.

Over 90 municipal employees have now returned to work after a two-day strike demanding better salaries and benefits.

The two parties have agreed to restart the four percent salary increment negotiations in this new financial year.

It's also agreed that the no work, no pay rule be disregarded for the two days employees were on the legal strike.

"It wasn't easy, because we are talking about over 90 employees that you must convince to go back to resume duties. We want to thank ourselves because we provided leadership, and we want to continue providing that leadership," says Lesley Mosegedi, the national coordinator for NALAWU.

The union also wants officials who mismanaged funds to be held accountable.

Mosegedi called for unity after the council's senior administrative staff snubbed the signing ceremony.

"It's painful. We should appreciate what the councillors have done to us. We should not have grudges. We must appreciate that the cashiers are open, the employees are collecting waste, and the town is back to normal."

The strike was a result of staff grievances, as the council has not reviewed salaries and wages for over ten years.