Agriculture dept workers down tools over salaries
MEMBERS of the National Education, Health and Allied Workers Union (Nehawu) at the Northern Cape Department of Agriculture, Environmental Affairs, Rural Development and Land Reform embarked on strike action on Tuesday in demand of their long-awaited pay progressions, which they did not receive in 2022.
They gave the department until Friday to release their money.
The frustrated members picketed and burned tyres in front of their office buildings in George Street, Kimberley, demanding a 1.5% salary adjustment.
They vowed to continue with the action until the department pays them the money.
Nehawu shop steward Bonny Mogapi said they were frustrated because almost all of their members were eligible for the salary increase, which has not yet been processed.
She pointed out that most government employees from levels 1-12 had already received their salary increases, except for them.
According to Mogapi, they always get their pay progression late.
“For now, most of the departments, if not all, have received theirs, except for us. The only response we get is that they are dealing with the matter,” said Mogapi.
She said they wrote a letter to the acting HOD’s office on January 28, informing them of their intentions to down tools.
Mogapi added that the department claimed not to have received the e-mailed letter, but she hand-delivered a hard copy on Monday.
She said the deadline for response from the department is Friday.
“We don't know what is happening. The last time we were told that the HOD had signed. We also learned that MEC Mase Manopole signed but does not approve to get that 1.5%. We wanted to know how come our increment won’t be approved, while it is due to us. We don't know what is the delay.”
She said they took their frustrations to the street because management was not doing its job.
“Our managers tend to relax when it comes to doing their jobs. We thus call on consequence management to be implemented for those who did not implement what is supposed to be implemented.
“Other managers say they were not informed, so this shows that it's due to one person who works in silos.”
Northern Cape Department of Agriculture, Environmental Affairs, Rural Development and Land Reform spokesperson Zandisile Luphahla admitted that the issue was brought to the department on Monday, whereby Nehawu gave them a deadline of February 3 to respond or for the money to be paid into the accounts of its members.
Luphahla said the department is still dealing with the matter and therefore did not expect the members to take action before the deadline.
“We are shocked to learn that the workers were already embarking on an illegal strike,” said Luphahla.
“This is hampering service delivery. The office of the MEC and that of the HOD are always open for engagements for colleagues. It's very disturbing because the strike is not legal and not authorised. You can just imagine giving a deadline and not adhering to it and instead embarking on an unprotected strike before the deadline.”
Luphahla added that the union members should “rest assured” that the department would meet the deadline.
