The Public Servants Association (PSA) says South African Revenue Service (SARS) employees have no alternative but to strike, despite disruptions that the public will face amid the tax collection season.
SARS employees affiliated to the PSA and National Education Health and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu) are continuing their strike from Tuesday.
The strike action over salary increments could affect tax collection at SARS which has just opened the tax collection season on the 1st of July. Some observers have already warned that undercollection of tax due to the strike could further cause damage to the country’s struggling economy.
Unions have rejected the revised offer of around 1.3% after initially demanding 12% increases.
PSA’s National Manager, Claude Naicker, says pickets will continue nationwide until SARS presents a better offer.
“At those identified spots, we will be picketing and we will continue to intensify our efforts at the border posts as well. During the latter part of the week, we will be considering marches in various major centres. More services will be disrupted because those employees working from home have indicated that they will be putting tools down. So, services will be affected. We sympathise with the public. We understand that it is peak season for them – unfortunately, we have no alternative but to go on strike action to try and force the employer’s hand.”
Meanwhile, online services at SARS are also expected to be disrupted.
PSA Manager in KwaZulu-Natal, Mlungisi Ndlovu, says they are not willing to accept the salary increase offer presented to them by the employee.
“Our demand is 5% plus 7%. Today, all online services will not be working. Our call centre employees will not be working, SARS offices will be shut down. We are calling upon all our members to join this strike until SARS responds to our demands. There is no employee that can survive from 1.3% which is below inflation.”
In the video below, Naicker outlines the PSA’s demands:
