Disgruntled SA Post Office (Sapo) workers took to the streets in Pretoria on Wednesday, demanding salary increases and job security after nine years without a pay rise. Joined by various workers’ unions affiliated to the SA Federation of Trade Unions (SAFTU) and Cosatu, workers marched from the Union Buildings to the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies to hand over a memorandum of demands.
SAFTU secretary general Zwelinzima Vavi addressed the marchers outside the department offices, hailing the demonstration as a show of unity among workers’ unions. He accused the government of deliberately killing the Post Office entity, saying it was leaving it to collapse so that they can give it to their comrades. Vavi claimed that comrades looted the Post Office while serving on its board.
Demands for Government Intervention
The workers demanded that Minister Solly Malatsi intervene in their labour disputes and provide an update regarding Sapo’s business rescue process. They also demanded an immediate R5 000 across-the-board salary increase and that 30% of government business be allocated to Sapo. According to the South African Government website, the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies is responsible for overseeing the development of the country’s postal services.
Business Rescue Plan
The business rescue practitioners recently confirmed that the R3.8 billion funding intervention meant to stabilise operations is in Sapo’s approved rescue plan and government submissions. Of that, R2.4 billion has been released to cover operating costs and creditor payments, and they said a turnaround plan exists to stabilise the entity. The workers further called for the immediate appointment of a functional Sapo board and a time-bound exit strategy for business rescue practitioners that avoids liquidation.
The following are some of the key demands made by the workers:
- An immediate R5 000 across-the-board salary increase
- 30% of government business to be allocated to Sapo
- Full job security and a moratorium on retrenchments
- Immediate appointment of a functional Sapo board
- A time-bound exit strategy for business rescue practitioners that avoids liquidation
National Organiser for Communication Workers Union, Moffat Seutlwadi, said the government needs to transform Sapo to be technologically competitive instead of requesting the private sector to invest in it and privatise the entity. As stated on the Wikipedia page for the South African Post Office, the entity has been facing significant challenges in recent years.
