Come the end of March 2023, there should be an agreement between government and public sector unions over an agreed upon wage increase.

General-Secretary for the Federation of Unions of South Africa (Fedusa), Riefdah Ajam says the union is confident that their efforts to have workers receive a wage increase will be positive. Ajam’s comments come as there has been some progress in wage negotiations between public sector unions and the state.

It comes fresh off the cuff of public servants downing their tools two weeks ago, demanding a 10 percent increase.

“We had rejected the previous offer early March that was tabled by the employer, and to take into account and offset the very ravages of inflation that we’ve referred to. Not just food prices but your transportation costs; not forgetting Eskom and the increases that has been brought forward and approved by Eskom.”

Ajam adds that despite government having reneged on the latter part of the three-year wage agreement, public sector workers have not received any increase.