Speaking to OFM News during the picketing at the Free State's foremost trauma hospital, the Pelonomi Hospital, Nehawu’s secretary at Pelonomi, Thabo Nkomo, says people must remember that the last time they had an increase was in 2017. “Currently, the employer is offering us 3%. As employees, we feel that this offer is an insult.” He adds that the cash gratuity that the employer will grant them, must not be taxable. 

Nehawu also wants all the contract workers in the public service to be hired permanently. In addition, they want all the vacant positions in the health sector to be filled. “I want to assure the employer that we will stand united and firm with every union we are in affiliation with while fighting for our initial demand of 10%.” He explains that they are asking for that much because the prices of food and petrol have increased, but their wages stay the same.

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Leading the picketing by the Public Servants Association (PSA), its shopsteward Jacob Jonas says they are tired with how the government treats them. He has been working as a public servant for more than 38 years. “We are unhappy as public servants with the offer they [government] have put on the table,” explains Jonas. He says that this is the time for them [and other unions] to stay united and fight against this increase because it is peanuts. Another shopsteward of the PSA and provincial chairperson for public health and social development, Seiso Motlale, is also of the view that the 3% is an insult and they will not stop until they get what they deserve.

Lizzy Mashilela who works at the National Hospital in Bloemfontein as the Federation of Unions of South Africa's (Fedusa) gender coordinator, states that they are tired of the employer’s tricks. “The least the employer can do is give us at least the 10% we are asking for.” 

Wally Steyn, who works at the Pelonomi Hospital for the PSA, states that they are very dissatisfied with the 3% the employer wants to give them. “As time goes on, leading up to the 10th [of November], more people will join us because people are tired. Life is tough out here. 3% means absolutely nothing to us.” The picketing is a reaction of unions to the decision of the acting Minister, responsible for Public Service and Administration, Thulas Nxesi, to invoke Section 5 of the Public Service Act to implement a 3% wage increase for the public service.

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Picketing is set to continue till 9 November at different institutions in the province. The PSA’s Acting Provincial Manager, Clement Fandie, previously said the biggest issue that they have is that the government has failed to meet their demands. “Our demand was a 10% wage increase, and the government intends to increase the wage unilaterally.” He further said if there was any union that agreed on the 3% wage increase, it will be null and void as the majority of the Public Service Coordinating Bargaining Council (PSCBC) have rejected the offer. “Had the majority of unions accepted the wage increase, we would be talking a different story – however, the majority did not accept it, which takes us back to our initial requested 10%,” explained Fandie.

On 3 November there were two different pickets in the province, one at OR Tambo House, which houses the Premier’s Office, amongst other departments, and the other at Pelonomi Hospital. The other institutions where pickets will take place include the Lengau Traffic Testing Centre, the MUCPP clinic, the Mmabana Clinic, the National Hospital, and the Universitas Hospital.

OFM News