The Citizen reports that the National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu) has vowed to intensify its public service strike until its demands are met by government.

The union’s leadership on Sunday afternoon held a media briefing in Johannesburg on the collapsed wage negotiations in the public sector. Public servants affiliated with the union have been staging countrywide protests since last Monday over a wage dispute with government. The union is demanding a 10% wage increase, while government is offering 4.7%. The strike action, which has been interdicted by the Labour Court after the Department of Public Service and Administration (DPSA) approached the court, has seen violent protests at essential health and other government facilities. At least four people have died as a result of the strike action, according to a preliminary report by the national Department of Health. The Labour Appeal Court on Friday heard Nehawu‘s appeal application on the enforcement order of the interdict by the DPSA. Judgment has been reserved for Monday. Nehawu general secretary Zola Saphetha on Sunday accused government of misleading and confusing workers on its 4.7% wage offer. He claimed government was offering public servants an “insulting” 0.5% salary increase as the 4.7% offer included a 4.2% cash gratuity that workers have been receiving.

• Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Thapelo Lekabe at The Citizen

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