South African Post Office: Workers to march against retrenchment in Pretoria
South African post office workers to march in Pretoria against looming retrenchments which are threatening their jobs.
Post office workers across South Africa are gearing up for a march in Pretoria today, Monday 29 April in response to the looming threat of retrenchment.
Approximately 4700 workers of the South African Post Office (SAPO) face the harsh reality of losing their jobs without prior notice.
The march, organised by post office workers, will commence at 10:00 from Loftus Triangle Park. The march will culminate at the Department of Communication located at 1166 Park Street in Hatfield, Pretoria.
POST OFFICE WORKERS MARCH WILL AFFECT THE FOLLOWING STREETS
The planned route includes Eastwood Street, Francis Baard Street, Jan Shoba Street, and Park Street, among others. The demonstration is expected to draw attention to the plight of the workers affected by the proposed retrenchments.
“Tshwane Metro Police and South African Police Service members will be deployed to monitor the March and all affected streets,” said Tshwane Metro Police in a statement.
This protest follows the distressing revelation that approximately 4700 retrenchment letters were dispatched to SAPO employees.
According to BusinessTech, the Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies, Mondli Gungubele, disclosed in a parliamentary Q&A session in March that 235 post offices are slated for closure nationwide, with a significant number concentrated in the Free State and North West provinces. The minister hinted at further retrenchments, although specifics remained undisclosed at the time.
SAPO STRIKES TENTATIVE DEAL WITH UNIONS, SAVING 4700 JOBS AMIDST CRISIS
However, recent developments have brought a glimmer of hope to the embattled workforce. Reports indicate that SAPO has reached a tentative agreement with unions to rescind the retrenchment notices. This will potentially safeguard around 4700 jobs for at least the next 12 months. Under the proposed agreement, 75% of salaries will be covered by the Temporary Employer-Employee Relief Scheme, with the remaining 25% financed by the Post Office.
COSATU has embraced the progressive accord halting the termination of 6000 SAPO employees. According to the union this will offer much-needed relief and optimism to affected families.
“This profound agreement provides relief and hope to thousands of SAPO employees and their families. COSATU congratulates its Affiliate, the Communications Workers’ Union (CWU) for its tireless efforts on behalf of SAPO employees,” said Cosatu in a statement.
POLITICAL PARTIES PROPOSE MEASURES TO REVITALISE SAPO
According to GroundUp, political parties have also weighed in on the matter, with the Democratic Alliance (DA) proposing several measures to rejuvenate SAPO and ensure its continued relevance in communities, particularly in rural and underserved areas.
These proposals include new leadership strategies, forging private-public partnerships, expanding services to embrace digital transactions, subsidising services in marginalised areas, and exploring innovative revenue streams such as on-demand parcel delivery, as reported by GroundUp.