Mabuza: It's happening - public servants will be cut
Deputy President David Mabuza has confirmed that job cuts are looming for public servants.
Mabuza told the National Assembly on Thursday afternoon that government is planning a "reconfiguration" of the public sector wage bill.
"It's happening," said Mabuza, urging MPs to wait for President Cyril Ramaphosa's announcement regarding more detail.
"We realised that probably we need to scale down the public service."
Mabuza was answering questions in Parliament on Thursday.
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It's understood that new legislation will be introduced to issue severance packages to workers rather than leaving them out in the cold.
"It is a bill that cannot be sustained going forward. It is important to look at stringent measures of belt tightening."
The process is set to take place over a period of three years.
Mabuza said that "the conditions warrant that move" but unions, the National Education, Health and Allied Workers' Union (Nehawu) and the governing party's affiliation partner, the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) have already rejected their decision.
Nehawu's Khaya Xaba says the union is ready to "fight fire with fire".
Cosatu's Sizwe Pamla says they will oppose the decision.