Madam Speaker

It would appear that some headway is being made in the wage negotiations between government and the unions. On the one hand, the very foundations of our democracy rest upon the principles of compromise, negotiation, mediation and the ability to embrace each other.

On the other hand, the fact that all 19 unions are united against government means they cannot be ignored. It is a fact that some Public Servants are poorly paid when taking into consideration their qualifications, working conditions and the significance of the work they do. The ID believes that a compromise must be reached. By the same token, we also believe that the remuneration of public servants must be aligned to private sector remuneration.  

If this stand-off between Government and the Unions is not resolved, a strike of these proportions will result in dire consequences for our economy and service delivery to the poor. The independent DEMOCRATS are therefore calling for a spirit of compromise, of trying to find each other, because South Africa will be the biggest loser.