By OBAKENG MAJE
The South African National Civic Organisation (SANCO) said it is advocating for the lifting of the moratorium, which includes the freezing of advertisements of posts and joining labour unions’ demands for the government, particularly the National Treasury to end the drastic measure.
In October 2023, the National Treasury imposed a moratorium on cost containment measures affecting government institutions. This includes freezing the hiring of new employees in the public service and stopping payment for contract workers.
SANCO spokesperson in North West, Mzukisi Jam said they find this perplexing that the Treasury would implement a directive to freeze the hiring of new employees when the country is facing skyrocketing unemployment, poverty and inequality.
Jam further said the measure also poses significant challenges to government departments that are already continuing to suffer budget cuts of the previous austerity measures to the public service.
He added that they echo the sentiments of labour unions, emphasizing that this decision contradicts the urgent need to strengthen the state’s capacity by filling vacancies in the public service to meet the needs of the people.
“Furthermore, it undermines the objective of building a capable and developmental state that effectively addresses societal needs. The National Treasury is a strategic department that amongst other things is expected to play a critical role in enhancing the state’s capacity to deliver quality public services.
“However, we wonder how the government intends to accelerate service delivery with inadequate human resources. While acknowledging the fiscal constraints and the necessity to reduce unnecessary spending, we believe that this blanket austerity approach across government departments is counter-productive,” said Jam.
He said it does not only weaken the government, but also stifles economic growth. Jam asserted that the Treasury should prioritize ensuring a well-functioning public service with adequate personnel and skills to stimulate economic growth.
“SANCO urges the Executive Committee (EXCO) of the North West Provincial Government (NWPG) to join the civic organization and labour unions and make an appeal to the National Treasury to lift this moratorium.
“Our province is predominantly rural with limited economic opportunities and does not deserve stringent measures that hinder its development and make it difficult to improve the living conditions of its residents,” he said.
Jam said it is imperative to address the compromised service delivery that communities are complaining about. He said it is also unfair for public servants to be burdened with excessive workloads, while funded vacancies remain unfilled and there are hundreds of graduates seeking employment opportunities in government to make a living for themselves and support their families.
“SANCO in the province calls on the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) and its affiliate union, the National Education, Health and Allied Workers Union (NEHAWU), to intensify their campaign against austerity measures imposed by the Government and National Treasury.
“We also pledge our full support for any action the labour union may undertake to address these pressing issues,” said Jam.
TaungDailyNews 