The government’s capacity to afford salary and housing increases for striking public servants was “exhausted”, Public Service and Administration Minister Richard Baloyi said in Cape Town on Wednesday.
Baloyi said at a press briefing that the government had to find an extra R5-billion to deliver on what it had already offered.
“As government, we have demonstrated for all to see that our capacity to afford is exhausted,” Baloyi said.
“If you talk of an envelope we have not emptied it. We have broken it.”
The Congress of South African Trade Unions and the Independent Labour Caucus announced on Tuesday that “the strike is on” after their members rejected government’s offer of a seven percent salary increase and a R700 monthly housing allowance.
Demands
The unions want an 8,6% increase and a R1000 allowance.
Baloyi said the government had “gone out of its way” to be transparent. “We are not hiding anything.
“Where we are, having tabled our offer of seven percent salary increment plus R700 housing will require R5-billion additional to cater for that.
“We have shared this.
“You can’t push and demand your right at the expense of the rights of others.”
Baloyi said he had instructed his director general to sign the final offer by 10.00am on Thursday morning.
All it takes
“We have put an offer on table. That offer is now a draft resolution of the Public Service Co-ordinating Bargaining Council, a draft resolution that is ready for parties to respond to.
“Having done all it takes, as government, as the employer, you can’t keep negotiating.
“Tomorrow in Pretoria, before 10.00am I’ve instructed the director general that all I expect is nothing less than his ink dripping on paper signing that offer.”
Impact on matrics
Meanwhile, the KwaZulu-Natal department of education has expressed concern that the public service strike could severely impact the matric results.
“Common tests for the first and second quarters of this year have revealed that Grade 12 learners did not perform well,” said spokesperson Mbali Thusi.
The department on called on matric pupils to continue going to schools during the strike to prepare for the exams which were two months away.
“They must assist one another on subjects, hold group discussions as well as individual studying,” said Thusi. — Sapa