The Public Servants Association (PSA) says its members will continue to strike if the SA Social Security Agency (Sassa) does not meet their demands.
Sassa employees affiliated to the PSA embarked on a strike on Tuesday‚ demanding a 15% salary increase and a housing allowance of R2‚500.
Among their other demands are for married couples employed by Sassa to both receive the increased housing allowance‚ for Sassa offices to be closed over Christmas and New Year‚ and for a minimum of three days’ special leave for religious activities to be granted to workers who are not Christian.
On Tuesday‚ Social Development Minister Susan Shabangu approached the Labour Court in a bid to stop the strike by Sassa employees. She argued that the workers could not strike as they deliver an essential service.
However‚ PSA spokesperson Tahir Mayepa denied this. "The minister has to prove that our members are responsible for the payment of social grants because it is not true‚" said Mayepa.