/ 7 June 1999

UNION WALKS OUT OVER PRESIDENCY CHANGES

AN alleged lack of transparency in the restructuring of the President’s office on Monday prompted a public service trade union to walk out of talks with government negotiators in Pretoria. National Union of Public Service and Allied Workers general secretary Success Mataitsane threatened to declare a dispute over the matter. He said moves to merge the offices of the president and the deputy president into a single presidency would cost several union members their jobs. Ronnie Mamoepa, spokesperson for president-elect Thabo Mbeki, said all staff had been given access to the new posts structure, but he could not confirm that all positions in the new structure would be advertised.