'Minimal disruptions' at Sars as unions embark on full-blown strike
The South African Revenue Services (Sars) says it experienced minimal disruptions on day 1 of the strike action by employees at its branches nationwide.
This comes as workers affiliated with the National Education, Health, and Allied Workers' Union (Nehawu) and the Public Servants Associations (PSA) downed tools over deadlocked wage negotiations.
Unions are demanding salaries to be adjusted based on the October 2021 CPI plus 7% across the board, backdated to April this year.
Other demands include equal medical aid and housing allowances, as well as 10 days per annum of pandemic leave.
Initially, Sars didn’t budge from its zero-percent increase but later made a U-turn, offering to tap into savings to boost salaries.
“Sars believes that its offer, to which it has received no response, is the best under the prevailing socio-economic challenges facing the country. Sars is also limited by the resources available to it from the funding grant,” says Sars commissioner Edward Kieswetter after unions ignored the proposal.
Kieswetter adds he sympathises with the workers’ plight.
“Sars recognises the constitutional right of workers to strike and express themselves within the provisions of the law. The important work of SARS has to continue, and we will take whatever steps necessary balance the impact of the strike with our responsibility to discharge the important responsibility of providing important services to taxpayers and collecting all tax revenues due.”
According to the tax authority, the full-blown strike got off without incident.
“Due to the wide range of online services, disruption to the operations was minimal. Over the next few days, we will continue to monitor developments at our branch offices.”
Kieswetter also urged taxpayers to avoid going to Sars offices.
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