BusinessLive reports that unions representing SA’s 1.3-million government workers, who are demanding a 12% pay hike, prepared themselves for a long round of talks scheduled to start from Tuesday this week.

This after the state, grappling with a R700bn-plus public sector wage bill, recently only offered unions a 3% rise. Other demands for 2025/26 by public servants, including teachers, nurses and police, are for a R2,500 housing allowance increment across the board, a nearly twofold rise in the danger allowance to R1,000, a performance bonus, bursary schemes for dependants of employees and permanent employment for education/teacher assistants, community health workers and reservists. The pay demands have been described as the toughest test yet for the new minister of public service & administration, Inkosi Mzamo Buthelezi. Contacted for comment on Monday, Buthelezi said parties would meet at the Public Service Co-ordinating Bargaining Council (PSCBC) from Tuesday. He would not comment on his department’s 3% offer, saying: “Such discussions are very sensitive. We want to guard the integrity of the process. But when a deal is reached, it will be communicated publicly.” The Public Servants Association’s (PSA’s) Reuben Maleka commented: “The employer is offering us 3%. We foresee a long negotiation process ahead. Marathon talks will begin from Tuesday where there will be exchanges of response along the lines of what has been offered and where we are.”

• Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Luyolo Mkentane at BusinessLive

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