THE atmosphere seemed jovial as approximately 100 employees protested outside the MTN offices on Flanders Drive in Mount Edgecombe earlier today.

This, despite the fact that the strike has been running for eight days without resolution.

Employees across the country have demanded a 16 per cent increase in workers’ bonuses and a 10 percent increase in salary. They have also called for the cellphone giant to permanently hire all temporary staff, regardless of whether they were employed by MTN or a labour broker.

Thami Mzileni, the provincial secretary for the Communications Workers’ Union (CWU), told the Northglen News earlier today that they had no plans to back down.

“We never go into a fight with the mind or the mentality to lose. This is going to be one of the battles that we are going to win,” he said.

Mzileni confirmed that while MTN has agreed to permanently hire all temporary employees, they have only agreed to a four per cent increase for salaries. “The employer has also agreed to an additional four per cent increase in December,” he said.

While the strike had not turned violent, a police presence was visible at the site. Traffic has only been slightly affected by the strike, as protesting in front of the company often spilled into the road, forcing motorists to turn into the lane of oncoming traffic to pass.

What’s more, the strike has had a major impact on the service provider, as call centres, retail stores and repair centre services have been disrupted.

Calling MTN’s helpline immediately connects customers with an automated message warning the caller that their services have been disrupted and assistance would be delayed.

“We apologise for the disturbance and appeal to the public to execute patience. The response to our requests show the arrogance of the employer. We have been begging for an opportunity to resolve the issue and come to a compromise,” said Mzileni.

In a statement, CEO of MTN SA, Ahmad Farroukh, confirmed that an offer of eight per cent had been made to address the workers’ demands.

“It is with great disappointment that our customers are subjected to the recent service experiences, which are as a result of the strike. On behalf of MTN South Africa, I would like to extend my most sincere apology for this. I wish to assure our customers that we view this matter in a serious light and we are working tirelessly to ensure that all our support services are operational. We plan to fully restore our services soon,” he said in the statement.

See additional photos of the strike here.