Durban — The South African Communist Party (SACP) in the Moses Mabhida province has pledged its unwavering solidarity with the public service unions who have embarked on strike in demand of better conditions of service.
On Monday, the National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu) embarked on a nationwide strike outside different hospitals in the country, demanding a 10% salary increase.
Nehawu general secretary Zola Saphetha said the workers have been on the receiving end of the onslaught by this sixth administration in many ways, including poor working conditions despite the fact that public service workers contribute daily to the betterment of the people, especially the working class and the poor at the front line of service delivery.
“Improvements in our working conditions, including improvement in pay, are a necessary means of strengthening the public service,” said Saphetha.
SACP provincial secretary Themba Mthembu said that over the years, salaries of workers have eroded by pervasive inflationary fluctuations reflected in rising costs of living, thus thwarting the ability of workers to support their lives. Moreover, he said the effect of the interest hikes and petrol increases have eroded the wages of the already economically battered workers.
“As the SACP in Moses Mabhida province we understand that the workers’ demands are the party’s demands and we therefore call on all our structures to support the striking workers and be part of all pickets and demonstrations in every corner of the province,” he said.
Mthembu further said they are also confident of Cosatu’s leadership and organisational ability to focus and unite workers throughout this period. “As a dependable ally in the struggle against exploitation, Cosatu should remain resolute as workers have nothing to lose but the chains,” said Mthembu.
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