Sars branches shut doors across SA as staff embark on wage strike

SA Revenue Service (Sars) employees took to the streets on Thursday as they embarked on a national strike over wages that saw branch offices in towns across the country close.

Workers affiliated to the National Education Health and Allied Workers' Union (Nehawu) and the Public Servants' Association (PSA) demanded an 11.4% increase in a one-year deal.

Sars was offering the workers 7% in the first of a three-year deal.

PSA spokesperson Ivan Fredericks said workers were allowed to protest at certain places only, but the numbers were "swelling". orkers in almost all nine provinces went on strike.

He said in smaller towns such as Kimberley and Nelspruit the Sars offices were closed.

The workers, clad in red Nehawu t-shirts, held placards that read: "We demand decent living wages."

"We will be on strike until such time the ministers and commissioners involved will come back to us with an offer.

"We do not want a three-year term. People are complaining because since the last time, the prices and the cost of living have increased ...  it means nothing," Fredericks said.

Sars' bargaining council covers just fewer than 10,000 employees, with about 5,300 represented by the PSA and 4,400 by Nehawu.

Sars did not immediately comment.