Hundreds of public sector workers marched to the workplaces of the National Treasury in Tshwane on Tuesday, rejecting the government’s 3% wage enhance and calling on the government to return to the negotiating table.
The protest motion was organised by unions affiliated to the South African Federation of Trade Unions (Saftu), the Congress of SA Trade Unions (Cosatu) and the Federation of Trade Unions of SA (Fedusa).
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Unions are demanding a ten% enhance. Weeks of negotiations within the Public Service Coordinating Bargaining Council have reached a impasse.
Nozipho Matsiehe, a nurse from Soshanguve Clinic, mentioned that the government didn’t admire public servants’ work. She mentioned she has labored within the public sector for 20 years.
“We deserve much better than what they are offering. It’s very tough to survive. We want a decent wage increase … Three percent is really nothing when you look at it monthly and considering the rising food prices,” she mentioned.
“We are really suffocating. Children are demanding clothes for the festive season. Electricity and food prices are very high.”
Another division of well being worker, who has labored at Kwa-Mhlanga Hospital in Mpumalanga for seven years, mentioned workers deserved higher.
“The government is disrespecting us. For the past three years we have not received any increases. We worked very hard at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, under extreme conditions,” she mentioned.
“We are not asking for too much, but for appreciation. I earn less than R18,000 a month, and I am the sole breadwinner for my family. After covering our monthly expenses, I am not left with anything,” she added.
Inflation is at the moment operating at about 7.5%, in accordance to StatsSA, with meals costs up practically 12% within the yr to September.
Latest/Read: SA’s CPI rises to 7.6%
Acting Public Service and Administration Minister Thulas Nxesi got here out of the Treasury workplaces to obtain the unions’ memorandum.
Cosatu Deputy President Mike Shingange addressed the workers and mentioned the government ought to return to the bargaining council.
“We want to see this matter concluded, that is why we are here to call you back to the bargaining council,” mentioned Shingange.
In the memorandum, the unions demanded a ten% enhance throughout the board, everlasting employment of police reservists, lecturers and group well being workers, and the filling of vacant posts. They mentioned they’d give the government seven days to return with one other supply, failing which they’d intensify their motion from 2 December.
Not backing down
Fedusa mentioned it appealed to President Cyril Ramaphosa, who’s a former unionist, to hear to the workers’ calls for. “We are united against an arrogant government. We are not backing down from the 10% demand, ” the federation mentioned.
In some components of the nation clinics and different government workplaces have been closed.
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Patients have been turned away from Mabandla Clinic in KwaNobuhle, Kariega, within the Eastern Cape, as employees joined the day of motion.
Locked outdoors the gates, guardian Anenjongo Mabope mentioned she had gone there together with her four-year-old daughter and was turned away. “She was vomiting and having stomach pains but we were told to go away from this clinic. It’s even difficult to go to other nearby clinics because all nurses, porters and ambulance drivers are on strike.”
Deputy provincial secretary of the National Union of Public Service and different Workers within the Eastern Cape Mzikazi Nkata mentioned the government ought to rent extra public servants to enhance providers.
Nkata advised GroundUp public servants have been going through an “onslaught”. “We will never agree to a three percent insult.”
“Enough is enough,” she mentioned.
In Gqeberha, Motherwell NU8 clinic and the Motherwell Healthcare Centre have been each closed. Security guards advised sufferers that the clinics have been closed. Patients have been advised – not by an worker however by a person who often preaches outdoors the gate – to go to different clinics.
Vuyo Dlanga of the Democratic Nursing Organisation of South Africa mentioned, “Currently clinics are starting with lunch hour picketing. All shop stewards are joining the central march in Bhisho.”
Department of Home Affairs and the SA Social Security Agency workplaces have been working as standard in Motherwell.
Eastern Cape Department of Health spokesperson Yonela Dekeda mentioned the “no work no pay” rule could be utilized to those that took half within the strike.
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