Cape Town - Home Affairs and a host of other departments’ services were disrupted as the Public Servants Association fulfilled its promise of a significant number of its 235000 workers going on strike over wages across the country.
Thousands of Cosatu-affiliated union members took to the streets over wages as acting Public Service and Administration Minister Thulas Nxesi implemented a unilateral 3% wage increase, effective November 17.
To add to their dissatisfaction, in his mini-budget, Treasury Minister Enoch Godongwana rubber-stamped the 3% wage increase as an average public wage bill growth rate.
Among others, the PSA demands a 10% wage increase across the board; the after-taxes R1 000 gratuity paid beyond the March expiry date; and Nxesi’s withdrawal of the unilateral 3% figure.
PSA acting provincial manager Aileen Mosetic said: “All our national departments were affected.
“Labour, Justice, Home Affairs, Agriculture and Land Reform, Environmental Affairs, Public Works, the National Prosecuting Authority and a lot of people from various Western Cape government departments, except for Health, teachers and the SAPS.”
Mosetic counted a “conservative” attendance figure of 750 people at the Cape Town strike.
The Public Service and Administration Department confirmed it would apply the “no work, no pay” principle.
The PSA said the strike would have a “serious impact” on Border Control, Transport and Home Affairs.
Officials said the Stellenbosch Home Affairs office was closed, but the Worcester office remained open.
Workers flocked to the city bowl, led by Mosetic and other union officials to hand over a memorandum signed by president Dr Lufuno Mulaudzi to Premier Alan Winde’s staff.
Public Service spokesperson Moses Mushi said: “We’ve observed a normal day. We’ve not experienced any disruptions. If for any reason an office has not been operating, the manager in that office will have to account.
“PSA members were informed the picketing rules allow them only to picket during lunch and tea time.”
The “no work, no pay” principle will apply to those who stayed away. Workers signed registers, Mushi said.
Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (Popcru) told the SABC: “We’re definitely going to strike” and said it would engage with other unions. National Health and Allied Workers Union’z Lwazi Nkolonzi said they were mulling a strike, but needed to consult with workers.