State workers' housing allowance to increase

Nehawu says government has committed to paying public sector workers their housing allowance increases in February.

Johannesburg - Government has committed to paying public sector workers their housing allowance increases on the 15th of February following months of delays.

This is according to the National Education, Health and Allied Workers Union (Nehawu) which held a briefing in Johannesburg on Monday.

Public sector unions had declared a dispute on the matter in the Public Service Coordinating Bargaining Council (PSCBC) last year after government failed to effect adjustments which were agreed on in July of the same year, during salary negotiations.

“Through numerous PSCBC meetings, we made consistent enquiries with the department of public service and administration on the implementation of this provision. Unfortunately, every time DPSA gave us unconvincing responses and this led to labour declaring a dispute on failure to implement this adjustment on housing allowance,” said Nehawu general secretary, Bereng Soke.

The union said although the department had guaranteed labour that workers would be paid what is due to them, it would still go the legal route to force them to make the adjustments should they fail to do so.

Qualifying workers were also advised to approach their HR offices to fill in forms in order to receive the backdated allowances.

Labour Bureau