Minister Mchunu hopes unions will accept govt’s 1.5% wage increase offer

Public Service and Administration Minister Senzo Mchunu said that he hoped that unions would accept the government’s 1.5% wage increase offer.

Public servants will also be offered a gratuity of up to R1,695.

Mchunu on Monday gave an update on current public service wage negotiations.

The minister said that his department was working with its back against a wall and he hoped that government and labour could find one another when they meet on Tuesday.

“And therefore, we would want of unions to consider what we are offering now. We do want to say that we are working against a wall now and we can no longer find anything backwards and therefore in the spirit where the government has moved and labour, I must acknowledge, has also moved, it should therefore be possible to find one another tomorrow.”

On the pay offer, which he hoped unions would accept, Mchunu said that it would apply across the board to the more than one million public servants.

“We are offering 1.5% and that is on the baseline and pensionable and I’m talking about the gratuity range of R1,220 and R1,695.”

Cosatu-affiliated public sector unions have so far rejected the government’s wage offer and want an R1,500 monthly gratuity and a 2% salary adjustment.

-EWN

In other news – Inside Sithelo Shozi’s surprise baby shower for her second child – MaMkhize’s son Andile Mpisane suspected to be the father

Sithelo Shozi has a bun in the oven and many are convinced that Andile Mpisane is the father. Sithelo took to her IG stories to share snaps from the dreamy occasion under the hashtag #SitheloPopsAgain. The event organized by, Londiwe Ndwandwe, was attended by close family and friends. Judging by the decorations, Shozi is expecting a baby girl.

It was indeed a beautiful occasion. The mother-to-be was dressed in all black and later sighted in a pink dress. They had personal chefs come and prepare the food. Learn More