Fin24 reports that labour unions are threatening to hold a nationwide strike to voice their opposition against government's latest proposal to address the country's budget crisis, including the possibility of a further wage freeze, job cuts, and more cuts to government services.
"Saftu [South African Federation of Trade Unions] is lobbying with our partners in organised labour to hold a national strike to resist against these cuts as well as other issues such as unemployment. There is a consensus to hold a general strike," the federation’s spokesperson Trevor Shaku indicated. He added that a date for the strike had not been set. Cosatu spokesperson Matthew Parks noted that the measures were draft proposals and had not been formally addressed in government. He indicated: "We voiced our concerns during our meeting with [President] Cyril Ramaphosa [on Tuesday]. He was receptive and we are wanting to meet him again in October." Parks said the federation would strike if its concerns were not met in the long-term, but would continue to negotiate with government over the proposals. On Tuesday, the Presidency said that "unsustainable public debt levels", coupled with low growth rates, were forcing Ramaphosa to consider cutting the government's size to stabilise the economy. Aside from axing public service jobs, or reducing government departments, some of the other measures reportedly being mulled include hiking value-added tax (VAT) by two percentage points to allow for the continuation of the Social Relief or Distress Grant (SDG) beyond March 2024. Fedusa’s Riefdah Ajam said the federation completely opposed the austerity measures, adding that the public should not be held to account for the failures of government. She indicated that the federation’s public committee would meet during the week to consider its position, but did not rule out strike action to voice rejection of all austerity measures.
- Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Na'ilah Ebrahim at Fin24
- Read too, Unions threaten to strike over spending cuts, at Moneyweb
- And also, Cyril snubs angry Cosatu, at Moneyweb
Get other news reports at the SA Labour News home page