Hundreds of public servants affiliated to COSATU, FEDUSA and SAFTU are marching to the seat of government in Mbombela, Mpumalanga. This is part of the national public sector mass action to demand a salary increase.
The unions are accusing the government of unilaterally implementing a three percent salary hike.
Similar mass actions are being held in the other three regions of the province.
FEDUSA provincial chairperson Johnny Nwaila says, “When you enforce 3%, you are undermining the bargaIning, because government is leading, if it’s happening in the government what about the private sector, because the private sector will follow suit, and we just gonna be undermining the bargaining as a whole. We are here to support the public servant to make sure that they go back to the bargaining council.”
National Day of Action | Public servants march to government complex in Mbombela
Patients turned away in North West
Patients have been turned away from the Unit 9 Mmabatho Clinic in the North West. This after nurses who are said to be part of a public sector strike downed tools.
Most COSATU-affiliated unions including DENOSA and NEHAWU earlier reject government’s wage offer.
Patients including a 74-year-old granny on crutches were sent back home after security told them that the clinic was closed.
March in Bloemfontein
In the Free State, the strike action kicked off with a march in Bloemfontein.
Thembani Thamela, NEHAWU’s branch chairperson at the Economic Development Department says, “Actually lets indicate that the offer that the government claims to be doing is actually a unilateral decision. We have totally indicated that we need 10% and the negotiations have deadlocked and collapsed and government has decided to implement the 3% and ours is that we still demand the 10%.”
Three percent is an insult
In Gauteng, the National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union (NEHAWU) says government’s three percent wage increase offer is an insult to public servants.
Cosatu Deputy President Mike Shingange says government must revise its offer or face the consequences of its decision.
Public servants arrive at National Treasury in Tshwane:
