The Inkatha Freedom Party calls on all parties involved in the negotiations aimed at ending the Communication Workers Union strike to urgently and cordially find a negotiated settlement as Post Office and Telkom workers embarked on a strike. Thousands of grant beneficiaries including the elderly and disabled persons continue to queue for their payments in vain since the wage negotiations between management and unions have reached deadlocked as workers are unhappy with the percentage increment offered to them.
“Today many social grants recipients have complained that they can’t get their grants because the Post Office workers are on strike. This is painful because these people depend on social grants to make ends meet which is hardly enough. Now they are left out in the lurch as workers are on strike.
This strike and the shutdown of services at most Post Offices has a negative effect on the lives and well-being of social grant recipients. While we are sympathetic to and support the call for proper remuneration and better working conditions, this cannot be at the risk of poor people who depend on social grants.
The IFP does not oppose the workers’ right to strike but encourages the employers’ organisation and unions to find common ground towards ending the strike. We are gravely concerned about the pain that has been endured by the social grants recipients recently as many of them have just been affected by the systems malfunctions and confusions which had resulted in many of them failing to cash their monthly pay outs after queuing for days waiting for this money. Now on top of that, they have to further suffer because of the ongoing strike. This is unfortunate, unfair and shows little consideration nor compassion to our citizens”, said IFP KZN Provincial Spokesperson on Social Development, Mrs Ncamisile Nkwanyana MPL.
“The IFP further calls on the workers to refrain from any illegal activities including acts of vandalism. Their demands are legitimate and fair but allowing any acts criminality to happen on their watch delegitimizes their action. These workers provide a very important service to the people and they deserve to be paid decent wages and also have their working conditions improved. The present stand-off cannot be allowed to escalate any further,” concluded Mrs Nkwanyana.
Issued by:
IFP KZN Provincial Spokesperson for Social Development
Mrs Ncamisile Nkwanyana, MPL
078 302 3991
