MBOMBELA – Thousands of the union affiliates from across the province exchanged their work attire for the red T-shirts of the National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu) yesterday.
The provincial government and streets in Mpumalanga’s capital came to a near standstill as union members marched on the government buildings in protest.
Nehawu and other Cosatu affiliates led the public-sector march of an estimated 5 000 members.
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It started at the showground and ended at the legislature, where the premier, Mr David Mabuza, had promised to accept the memorandum of complaints.
He instead sent the MEC for agriculture, rural development, land and environmental affairs, Mr Vusi Shongwe on his behalf.
The union refused to hand the memorandum to Shongwe and resorted to demonstrating outside the government offices. Mabuza eventually arrived and received the document.
Leaders from the alliance partners were allowed to address the masses but ANC leaders were not given the opportunity.
The Gupta family was also a subject of criticism. SACP provincial deputy secretary, Mr Mandla Tibane, said the government doesn’t belong to the family, and their party would overthrow the government if it wanted to.
It also lashed at the so-called Premier’s League, believed to be a lobby group aligned to the president, Mr Jacob Zuma. Mabuza is said to be a member of the group.
“ Down with the Premier’s League down. When we fought for the for this freedom some of the Premier’s League members were being used by the former government to kill our people,” said Tibane.
Nehawu’s Ehlanzeni region secretary, Mr Sdumo Masilela said the union is worried about the government’s moratorium which it termed as “Enemy No 1”.
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The government had placed all its departments on an ongoing moratorium to decrease the provincial wage bill. It has also stated that the moratorium on vacant funded posts would continue into the new financial year due to the provincial budget being cut.
The union wants government to abolish salary level 1 and 2 in order to pay employees better.
“This is despite a resolution between the Department of Public Service and Administration and the organised labour to abolish levels,” he said.
They also want the government to upgrade level 9 to level 10 and level 11 to 12.
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Another burning issue is government’s bursary policy for employees.
“In the past they would cover travel and accommodation fees for enrolled employees but it has since changed. They only pay tuition fees now,” said Masilela.
Government employees’ work were also disrupted. On Wednesday some workers, believed to be aligned to Nehawu, went on a rampage at the government complex and forced staff out of their working areas.
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One employee in the Department of Health said they were intimidated by strikers not to work the whole week. On Wednesday they were threatened with sjamboks and had to lock themselves in offices and toilets out of fear. Yesterday she did not go to work.
On the same day Rob Ferreira Hospital staff members also started to picket. They blocked the hospital’s gate and only allowed emergency vehicles access.
Masilela said the hospital’s CEO had taken an unilateral decision to cancel resident dentists’ overtime payments without consulting Nehawu.
“One person now has to perform duties that are supposed to be performed by three staff members, without proper reimbursement,” Masilela said.
The union said the march was a warning shot and if the government didn’t respond to its demands it would close down the public sector. The union gave the government seven working days to respond to the issues it raised.
