The Limpopo Department of Health has found itself in a storm over a controversial coal supply tender for 14 hospitals, as many of the facilities do not use the fuel source.
After holding the line on wage freezes for public servants since February 2020, the government has had a change of heart. A day before the start of court proceedings over salary increases, the government now wants to enter into out-of-court settlement talks with public servants.
The government plans to give public servants a 7.5% pay rise in 2023, which will cost it between R35bn and R50bn. This goes against its own plan to wrestle down the compensation bill.
Trade unions representing the majority of public servants in SA are prepared to accept the government’s offer to increase pay by 7.5% during the 2023/24 fiscal year, followed in 2024/25 by pay adjustments linked to the consumer inflation rate.
To improve labour relations in the public sector, the government has increased its pay rise offer from 4.7% to 7% for 2023/24. At the same time, the trade union Nehawu has ended the strike by public health workers after reaching a settlement with the government over their pay for 2022.