Johannesburg – The planned march to Parliament by the Federation of Unions of SA (Fedusa), Cosatu, the South African Federation of Trade Unions (Saftu) and Public Servants Association of South Africa (PSA) has been postponed because of the ongoing taxi violence in the Western Cape.
According to a PSA statement, the strike action was not being abandoned.
It said it was merely a postponement to protect the union’s members against taxi violence in the city and that pickets would continue to take place across the Western Cape in support of the industrial action.
The three trade union organisations began this national strike after what they called the failure of the government to table a reasonable salary increase for public servants.
“The PSA tried everything in its power to avoid industrial action, but the government refused to engage further. Instead, it arrogantly decided to unilaterally implement a meagre 3% salary increase,” the PSA said.
Meanwhile, outside the National Treasury offices yesterday, Minister of Labour and Employment Thulas Nxesi and Cosatu’s first deputy president, Mike Shingange, said they had fought in the dark days of apartheid with current government leaders in the interest of the workers.
“They are the very same people who are undermining the workers’ rights, not the apartheid leaders,” said Shingange.
Denosa president Simon Hlugwani called Nxesi and President Cyril Ramaphosa thieves.
“Thieves are those in government whose bellies are shaped like watermelons. I am talking about this minister and the president,” Hlungwani said.
The Star