Protection of borders, debt collection, call and service centres and branch offices are some of the Sars services expected to be severely affected by the strike action by its employees nationally.
Workers affiliated to the National Education Health and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu) and the Public Servants’ Association (PSA) demanded an 11.4% increase in a one-year deal.
They are also demanding a 10% bonus, an end to outsourcing and the abolishing of what they said was grade and salary anomalies, among other issues.
Sars is offering the workers 7% in the first of a three-year deal.
Nehawu-affiliated workers demonstrated in front of their East London and Mthatha branch offices on Thursday, calling for the revenue collector to give heed to their demands.
Nehawu East London branch chair Paul Lucas said the industrial action would continue until their demands were met.
“The employer does have money; the employer is not taking us seriously. Workers are suffering, prices go up every day, and petrol and food prices are sky rocketing,” he said.
Lucas said the tax collections services would be hindered as most of the employees responsible for this were on strike.
“If they can collect that money, they must do it, but we know that we are the only people that can collect that money. How can we collect such money and not benefit from it?”
In Mthatha, almost half of the 52 workers were chanting and singing protest songs.
Nehawu branch chair Siphokazi Sobuwa said their demands were the same nationwide.
“This is a critical time for Sars as it the financial year end and this is when we are busy with collections, so this will disrupt operations and will hurt the company, but we will protest until our demands are met,” said Sobuwa.
PSA spokesperson Ivan Fredericks said workers were allowed to protest at certain places only‚ but the numbers were swelling.
“We will be on strike until such time the ministers and commissioners involved will come back to us with an offer.
“We do not want a three-year term. People are complaining because since the last time‚ the prices and the cost of living have increased…it means nothing‚” Fredericks said.
Sars’ bargaining council covers just fewer than 10‚000 employees‚ with about 5‚300 represented by the PSA and 4‚400 by Nehawu.
A notice at the door in Mthatha read: “Please note that Sars services may be negatively impacted as a result of industrial action. Please utilise e-filing for services catered therein. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.”
On its website, the revenue services confirmed that four of its branches Mthatha, East London, Port Elizabeth and Uitenhage would be affected by the strike. In a statement, Sars said that of the 26 initial demands tabled by unions, parties through their negotiations had managed to reach some form of consensus on most, with only four key matters remaining in dispute...