YCLSA Media Release, 18 August 2010

The Young Communist League of South Africa (Ufasimba) affirms its unequivocal support to the thousands of workers within the public sector; some of which are still subjected to ailing working conditions and yet expected to deliver services to our people. We have thousands of teachers and doctors in the public sector of which commit themselves to their work despite resource constraints in their working environment.

The government adhered to FIFA demands of which some have left us in long-term debts, without hesitation. The very same vigour should apply in addressing worker demands. This also speaks to our priorities in terms of service delivery. We need a committed and dedicated work force in the public sector and that can only be attained provided that working conditions and salaries are improved.

We continuously see CEO’s of parastatals and senior government official’s salaries unjustifiably inflated and questionable bonuses being given to some of them. If government can pay golden handshakes for under performance then equally wages should be increased for deserving workers who are mostly at the forefront in providing service delivery to our people.

We fully support the strike and condemn any opportunistic lash against teachers embarking on a strike, as they are also workers entitled to exercise the same rights as any other worker in South Africa in demanding a decent living wage.

Issued by the YCLSA Head office

Contact Gugu Ndima

National Spokesperson

076 783 1516