Lawlessness will not be tolerated during national shutdown: Cabinet

Cabinet says lawlessness will not be tolerated during next week’s national shutdown.

Monday’s protest action, being organised by the  Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), is due to call on President Cyril Ramaphosa to resign and for an end to rolling blackouts.

Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni was speaking during a post-Cabinet media briefing.

“On the so-called national shutdown, Cabinet expressed concern over calls for protest action planned for Monday, 20 March, and deems such calls as irresponsible and reckless. The justice cluster is seized with work to ensure that lawlessness is not tolerated,” adds Ntshavheni.

Nehawu strike

Cabinet says despite it welcoming a settlement agreement, being reached over public sector wage negotiations, disciplinary action will be instituted against employees who participated in disrupting services.

The National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu) has suspended the public healthcare worker strike, saying an in-principle settlement was reached with government over salary increases for 2023/2024.

“Cabinet welcomes the signing of the agreement by the majority of unions at the bargaining council to end the labour strike and settle the 2022/23 wage negotiations. Also, Cabinet has reiterated the need for disciplinary actions to be taken against those who behaved in a manner that disrupted public service and threatened the lives of citizens. Cabinet has instructed that no work, no pay must be applied immediately. There is an agreement at the bargaining council that no work, no pay must be applied over a 4-month period,” explains Ntshavheni.

The video below is the live stream proceedings of the media briefing: