Post Office to down tools

Johannesburg will be gripped by yet another protest on Thursday as SA Post Office workers down tools.

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Johannesburg - Johannesburg will be gripped by yet another protest on Thursday as SA Post Office (Sapo) workers down tools and take to the streets, demanding state intervention at the entity.

The employees, affiliated to the Communications Workers Union (CWU), will march to the state-owned company’s offices in Braamfontein, stopping at the Public Protector and Premier’s offices.

The workers want government to act speedily in resolving the financial turmoil within Sapo, which has resorted to paying workers’ salaries in portions due to "ongoing cash-flow" problems.

CWU leaders told reporters in Johannesburg today that the company was pleading poverty as part of a strategy to get rid of workers.

“They are trying their utmost best to frustrate workers so that they leave the employment of the Post Office voluntarily. That will help them in achieving their turn around strategy of reducing staff. We are worried about what will happen next month. There might be no salary,” said CWU chairperson in Gauteng, Velaphi Zulu.

This month Sapo general manager for public affairs Andrew Nongogo told Parliament that the company was on the brink of collapse. He said the entity was losing customers and revenue as a result of strike action.

However the CWU was not deterred by the warnings, saying government had the responsibility to bring about positive change, and they were merely exerting pressure to ensure their demands are met.

Workers are expected to gather at the Pieter Roos park in Parktown tomorrow morning and march to the premier’s office where they will demand the release of a Special Investigating Unit report into the post office.

While at the Public Protector’s office, they will demand another report into the state of the entity.

LABOUR BUREAU