“Workers must unite, put on their takkies and be prepared to jump over fences to protect their right to collective bargaining,” said Benson Ngqentsu from the South African Communist Party on Wednesday 22 February 2023 in Hanover Street, Cape Town. 

Several hundreds of union members — under the umbrella of both the South African Federation of Trade Unions (Saftu) and the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) — held a lunchtime picket to express their unhappiness over their dissatisfaction with how the “so-called employer continues to treat its employees, who are the most valuable assets in the public service”. 

The crowd was metres away from the Cape Town City Hall where Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana prepared to deliver his 2023 Budget Speech.

During the mass picket, unions were joined by other civil society groups including Cry the Xcluded and Amadoda Qotho Mens Sector. Cry the Xcluded are calling for an end to budget cuts, fixing energy utility Eskom and a basic income grant. 

#Budget2023

Lindi Mkumbane from Cry the Xcluded speaks about budget cuts and it’s impact on people, especially women. This is ahead of the Budget Speech due to take place at 2pm. @dailymaverick pic.twitter.com/GBcbrOFhkG

— Suné Payne (@SunePayne) February 22, 2023

Members of Cry the Xcluded movement also lent their support to the union picket in Hanover Street, Cape Town, on 22 February 2023. They wanted decent jobs, a basic income grant and to fix Eskom as part of their wishlist for the 2023 Budget Speech. (Photo: Suné Payne)

Unions gathered on 22 February 2023 ahead of Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana’s 2023 Budget Speech. They are unhappy about issues around collective bargaining. (Photo: Suné Payne)

Protesters picket on 22 February 2023 in Cape Town, South Africa. (Photo: Gallo Images / Ziyaad Douglas)

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“You must unite as workers, regardless of union or political affiliation,” said Ngqentsu. Workers’ “hard-won right” to collective bargaining was facing an attack in both the public and private sectors, he said. 

“This government must serve the interests of the workers and the poor,” said Ngqentsu. 

Deputy president of Saftu, Nontembeko Luzipo, said the budget needed to cater to the working class, and; we need a budget that is corruption-free.”

The South African Students Congress (Sasco) said budget cuts would be met on the streets — as budget cuts have swept into sectors such as higher education. 

Evelyn Schaap, Western Cape chairperson of the National Union of Public Service and Allied Workers (Nupsaw), told Daily Maverick: 

“Every time they make this budget, there is nothing that makes us happy…” 

Schaap said Godongwana “must not think about it, he must give our 10% that was put on the table last year already…he must give it to us today in this budget. So that we can get it and deliver better services to our people”. 

Collective bargaining under threat was a key theme running through Wednesday’s lunchtime picket by unions ahead of the 2023 Budget Speech, held at the nearby Cape Town City Hall. (Photo: Suné Payne)

One collective demand by the unions is the immediate implementation of the 2022 resolutions of the Public Service Summit, where the government decided to implement a 3% pay increase — below consumer inflation. 

Read in Daily Maverick: “Government proposes below consumer inflation pay rise for public servants”

Other demands which were handed over in a memorandum included:

• Government doing away with the implementation of “neoliberal macroeconomic policies which have led to inequalities, poverty, unemployment, job losses, austerity, privatisation and have destroyed the capacity of the state to deliver on education, health, policing and social care”;
• A reversal of austerity measures that target the public sector;
• An end to attacks on collective bargaining;
• The permanent employment of reservists, community health workers and teacher assistants; and
• The filing of vacant posts.

The government was given seven days to respond to the demands. The memorandum was accepted by Procedural Advisor in Parliament, Victor Ngaleka. DM