The Public Service and Commercial Union of South Africa (PSCU) said that the government would be insane to get rid of 80 000 public servants.
The PSCU Deputy President Astrid Al-Anani said that in the next few months, anyone interested in public services will have to watch the language, the distinction between words like- "professionalising" and "cost cutting" - will become vital.
“To sugar coat retrenchments in the public service, we will be told what is happening is really a process of professionalising the public service,” lamented Al-Anani.
The union said in a statement on Monday that the bloated public sector narrative is a myth, and that what really happened since the advent of the current administration of President Ramaphosa was to inject corruption with steroids.
“The bloated public service - a virulent weed - is a notion so deeply embedded in the collective consciousness that we don't need any evidence to know it exists,” said Al-Anani.
“Over two decades of no-accountability for billions that been lost to corruption and mismanagement of funds received no similar attention, now, the same corrupt government delivers devastating news of job bloodbath to public servants through leaked media messaging,” said, Ms Al-Anani.
The PSCU said that the nation needs to know how many have been held accountable for reckless and fruitless expenditure.
“The PSCU said that it is asking on behalf of its members, whether alternatives were considered and negotiated or if this another unilateral process of implementation, because unions have become state pawns to silence the masses,” argued Ms Al-Anani.
“Bypassing Legislation and accountability due to ignorance or inept sweetheart trade unions will not prevent the PSCU from taking action to protect public servants. Any attempt to retrench in these economic hardships is tantamount to declaration of war, a war against public servants that this country cannot afford, Al-Anani further added.
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