The South African Policing Union (SAPU) said that its members have rejected government’s proposed 4.7% wage offer for public servants.
The union said that it had concluded its mandate-seeking process and noted that it will officially inform government this week.
SAPU said that it and other other public sector unions are hoping to resume talks with the Co-ordinating Bargaining Council.
“The mandate received from our members at large and also the central executive committee pronouncement declared that we need to push further the employer offer that has been on the table. It has not been accepted. Remember, the standard of living is quite very high,” Lesiba Thobakgale, SAPU’s spokesperson told the SABC.
“When we look at inflation, when we look at the cost of living, when we look at expenses that workers have to cover, and even the employer only just offering us, you know, that Consumer Price Index (CPI),” Thobakgale said.
“So we are clearly rejecting it unless we are preparing ourselves to go back to council, we are looking forward to that process.”
Lowering the demand
In late October, government offered a salary increase of 4.7% to the country’s public servants.
The state increased its offer from 3% to 4.7% but this was well below the 12% demand by the various unions representing around 1.3 million state workers.
Frikkie de Bruin, general secretary of the Public Service Co-ordinating Bargaining Council, said the government had rejected the civil servants’ demand for a 12% increase in salaries that would take effect on April 1, 2025.
The labour unions then lowered their demand to 7.5%.
“We think we are getting closer to a settlement range, which could be anything between 5.5% and 6%,” he explained.
Union demands
Unions, including the Public Servants Association (PSA) and other bodies affiliated with Cosatu, Fedusa and Saftu, are also demanding improved benefits for their members.
Unions want a higher medical aid subsidy, a R2,500 increase in housing allowances, and an increase in danger pay from R597 to R1,000.
One of the main reason’s government is holding firm on its lower wage offer is its responsibility to rein in South Africa’s debt.
It is expected that the nation’s debt will rise to around 75.3% of gross domestic product (GDP) in 2025-26. The country’s debt accounted for 74.6 % of nominal GDP in June 2024.
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