News24 reports that the SA Policing Union (SAPU) has vowed not to "surrender" until its salary demands are met. The union said in a notice to members that its strike would commence on Friday, 17 March.
Nehawu, SAPU and several other public servant unions are locked in a wage dispute with the government. On Monday, the Labour Appeal Court interdicted industrial action by Nehawu, its members and employees. SAPU's acting deputy general secretary, Peter Ntsime, indicated that the interdict was being studied and he went on to indicate: "We are together with all unions that are pursuing the 2022/2023 outstanding 10% salary increase. SAPU is not interdicted, and we served [the] employer with a notice to strike. We have two Acts of employment, which are the SAPS Act and Public Service Act, whereby employees employed in terms of the Public Service Act are allowed to strike as they do not render essential services, even those who render essential services when they are off from work can join the picket line.” Meantime, a spokesperson for the Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (Popcru) said the union’s national executive committee would take a decision on the strike this week. National police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe confirmed that SAPS had only received a notice from SAPU, not Popcru. He advised as follows: "South Africans can rest assured that it will be business as usual across all stations and all SAPS service points. All 1,160 police stations across the country will be fully functional and operational, and open to the public."
- Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Iavan Pijoos at News24
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