Thousands of civil servants are expected to take to the streets on Tuesday following an impasse in wage negotiations between unions and the employer.
Civil servants are set to embark on a nationwide march that is likely to disrupt public services. Unions say the planned one-day march is part of ongoing demonstrations ahead of indefinite strike action if the government fails to improve its 3% pay offer.
Public sector members of the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU), the Federation of South African Trade Unions (FEDUSA) and the South African Federation of Trade Unions (SAFTU) will come together for what they call a National Day of Action to demand higher wages.
Negotiations stalled after the government made a so-called final offer of 7.5%, including 3% pension and 4.5% non-pension funds.
The unions rejected this, demanding a 10% increase. Supposedly, a memorandum with demands will be handed over to the Ministry of Finance.
Thousands of civil servants are expected to take to the streets on Tuesday:
Public servants in the Free State are also expected to join the nationwide strike.
They are among about 800,000 workers across the country who will be demanding a pay rise of at least 6.5% or a figure linked to consumer inflation.
The march will start at 10 a.m. in Mahungra near the city center.
COSATU provincial secretary Monyatso Mahlatsi says: “We will go to the provincial treasury to hand over a memorandum of demands whereby we reject the 3% imposed by employers on civil servants. And at the same time, we will also demand the preservation of collective bargaining in the public service.”
