Workers at the South African Revenue Service in Port Elizabeth have downed tools and joined in on the national wage strike on Thursday morning.
The protestors gathered outside the City Hall and are expected to march to the SARS offices in the PE CBD
The National Education, Health and Allied Workers' Union and the Public Servants Association of South Africa are demanding pay hikes and improved benefits.
SARS is offering a 7% wage increase while unions are demanding 11%
NEHAWU representative, Thembisa Mtshingila says the employer is negotiating on bad faith.
picture: Nehawu protesters outside SARS offices in Port Elizabeth.
Sars said it had put necessary contingency measures in place to minimise the disruption to taxpayer services across its branches and ports of entry.
Branches in Alberton, Bellville, Benoni, Bethlehem, Bloemfontein, Boksburg, Cape Town, Doringkloof, Durban, Edenvale, Giyani, Kimberley, Mitchells Plain, Mthatha, Pinetown, Polokwane, Port Elizabeth, Randburg, Randfontein, Richards Bay, Rissik Street, Roodepoort, Sibasa, Soweto Orlando East, Uitenhage, Vereeniging, and Witbank-Emalahleni were closed.
On Wednesday, Sars confirmed it had reached a deadlock in negotiations with unions over salary increases and improvements in conditions of service and benefits for bargaining unit employees, after months of negotiations which commenced in November 2018.
Sars workers have rejected mediator Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration's (CCMA) proposal of an eight per cent increase across the board, among other agreements.
Nehawu spokesperson Khaya Xaba said workers would not back down on their demands.
The strike could disrupt customs operations at national ports of entry and enable the flow of drugs and illicit goods.
Airports Company of South Africa spokesperson Nangomso Jacobs could not immediately confirm whether Sars officials at airports had been instructed not to join the strike as these are national key points.
- Additional reporting by African News Agency (ANA)
