Thousands of PSA members march in Pretoria

Workers have rejected government’s 3% wage offer for the 2022/2023 financial year, describing the decision to unilaterally implement the increase as an insult to the working class.

Chief negotiator on behalf of the PSA Jannie Oosthuizen said the strike is the result of government displaying arrogance and disregarding the collective bargaining process.

A memorandum of demands will be handed over to the delegated official from Treasury. Among their demands, workers want continuation of the R1,000 cash allowance beyond March 2023.

“We want to send a stern warning to government that this is the beginning. We will hand over our memorandum and give government seven days to respond to our demands. Failure to do so, we will escalate and we will intensify this strike and go beyond a month,” Oosthuizen said.

This is the first time in a decade that the PSA has taken to the streets over wages.

Addressing marchers, PSA president Lufuno Mulaudzi warned workers will no longer tolerate government’s insistence that they cannot afford to meet the union’s demand.

Marchers have been bussed in from North West, Limpopo and Mpumalanga.

Other demonstrations were also taking place in the Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal.

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