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The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) has recently launched a new call center to provide much-needed assistance to workers facing labour-related challenges. This dedicated resource aims to offer support, information, and guidance to both members of COSATU-affiliated unions and unorganized workers, ensuring that they have a place to turn for help with workplace issues.

COSATU welcomes UIF TERS relief for Post Office employees

The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) welcomes the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF)’s Temporary Employee Relief Scheme (TERS)’s decision to provide R387 million covering 75% of the wages of the South African Post Office (SAPO)’s 6 027 employees over the next six months whilst SAPO undertakes its turnaround plans. 

Whilst this relief comes after much anguish and extreme hardship imposed on SAPO’s staff by its management, it will provide badly needed comfort.  It is critical that SAPO be given the full support it needs to effect its turnaround and ensure that it’s firmly set on a path to recovery and sustainability. 

This support needs to include National Treasury providing the remaining balance of the previously committed to R3.8 billion injection into SAPO to enable it to settle debts and outstanding payments. 

As provided for in the SAPO Amendment Act, the Post Office’s turnaround plans need to include, with the support of key departments, its establishment as a one stop shop where citizens can apply for a variety of government services, e.g. identity documents, social grants, educational or SMME financing etc.  Equally critical is SAPO’s entering the lucrative courier sector as relying upon its historic business model is clearly not sustainable given the rapid advent of the fourth industrial revolution.

The current challenges hindering the turnaround of the Postbank also need to be tackled, as its successful rolling out as a state bank targeting historically redlined communities will be a further boost to SAPO given their symbiotic relationship and shared infrastructure.

Government too must lead from the front and utilise SAPO and the Postbank as their service providers for their postal and courier, rolling out of civic, social grant and other services to the public, and banking needs.  This would provide SAPO and Postbank with the badly needed liquidity they require to survive and thrive.              

Issued by COSATU

Matthew Parks (COSATU Parliamentary Coordinator)

Cell: 082 785 0687

Email: matthew@cosatu.org.za