ANA reports that the National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu) has cautioned against job losses as a result of the appointment of a reduced Cabinet, saying that these measures must not lead to budget cuts in terms of the existing programmes.  

President Cyril Ramaphosa on Wednesday announced a reduced Cabinet with 28 ministers, down from 36, but with 34 deputy ministers, in a “reconfiguration of national government”.  Nehawu, one of biggest public sector workers unions, said it welcomed the reduction of ministries as a means to have a leaner and more efficient government that would be preoccupied with prioritising service delivery.  But the union warned that job losses would not be welcomed.  “Our view is that this should be about the closure of ministries as opposed to departments.  The latter must be absorbed or integrated in the related existing departments.  We hope this would not lead to a job blood bath of the coal-face public service jobs,” the union said in a statement.  It went on to state:  “Should jobs be lost in this fashion we will fight fire with fire.  As Nehawu, we are more than ready to wage a relentless war should any of our members and workers lose jobs because of this move.”

• Read the full original of the report on Nehawu’s views at The Citizen

Get other news reports at the SA Labour News home page