PSA adamant it is not willing to negotiate with govt or leave court processes

PSA's Reuben Maleka says they don't believe if government employees were to give in, there would be a solution to the fiscus.

Public Servants Association (PSA) says it is not willing to negotiate with the government.

The public sector unions and government are battling it out at the Labour Appeal Court over this year's wage increases.

The Department of Public Service and Administration and Treasury said they could not afford the hikes, which were agreed upon back in 2018, stating repeatedly that this would cost over R30 billion.

However, PSA has argued that the wage increases, which are set at just over 5%, will only cost the state R10 billion.

John Perlman speaks to PSA assistant general manager Reuben Maleka.

We are not willing to negotiate or even leave the court processes.

Reuben Maleka, Assistant general manager - Public Servants’ Association

We have a lot of needs that are pressing as a country but the behaviour and the conduct of the government does not show and reflect what we regard as pressing needs.

Reuben Maleka, Assistant general manager - Public Servants’ Association

If we still have a situation where you can bail out SAA with R10.5 billion and still also not do anything about the lost money that the auditor-general has mentioned in his report where R59 billion is unaccounted for by municipalities, then we don't really believe that even if government employees were to give in there would be a solution to the fiscus.

Reuben Maleka, Assistant general manager - Public Servants’ Association

Listen to the full interview below...

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