Uncountable Women latest Mass Protest
Wednesday, August 11th, 2010Women have been heavily neglected in the Republic of South Africa, especially black public servants, like nurses, teachers and essential service workers. Some 1.3 million protesters, mostly underpaid and overworked women public workers, downed tools to march on the parliament of South Africa on Tuesday (Aug 11, 2010) demanding higher salaries and housing benefits.
Hundreds of schools were closed down and hospitals were operating with skeleton staff to ensure basic services. Organizers at the trade unions representing them said that the mass strike protest was just a taste of what is expected unless the government accepts their demands of an 8.6% wage hike. Just the day before the government celebrated South African women’s day (Aug 10, 2010) to commemorate the 54th anniversary of the 1956 defiance marches of black African women against the white-ruling Apartheid government.
The government has offered to give the public workers maximum 7% wage increase and a ZAR 630, but trade unions threaten that unless they get what they demand the government can expect “Hell to break loose.” One qualified black nurse revealed that she had been working as a public servant for 13 years and can not afford to but a small car or move to a separate house where her 15-year-old son can have his own bedroom. She earns a monthly nett ZAR 4,500 (USD 1 is about ZAR 7, while GBP 1 is about ZAR 11).
A woman qualified pre-school teacher earns about the same, while qualified women high school teachers barely earn ZAR 9,000. Many teachers move to neighboring provinces as they are unable to find employment in their own areas.
