Pretoria headquartered military labour organisation the SA National Defence Union (Sandu) this week met Defence and Military Veterans Minister Angie Motshekga with the welfare and well-being of South Africa’s uniformed public servants on the agenda.
The Minister was joined by Lieutenant General Malungisa Sitshongaye, SA National Defence Force (SANDF) Chief of Human Resources, according to Directorate Corporate Communication (DCC) writer Thando Ramasimong. Representing Sandu, the largest military trade union in South Africa, were national secretary Pikkie Greeff and chief negotiator Jeff Dubazana.
Ramasimong reports the meeting on 20 January at Defence Headquarters in the Armscor Building was to brief Motshekga and her number one on the human component of the SANDF on Sandu’s status and “operational functions”. This is in view of the union’s primary role to protect the rights and interests of its uniformed members.
The minister is further reported as saying: “The welfare and well-being of our defence force members are of utmost importance and we must ensure that their rights are protected and their interests are served”. She emphasised the need for collaboration and open communication between the Ministry, Sandu and “the defence force to address challenges and promote a stable working environment”.
Post the meeting Sandu noted it was “very productive”.
Sandu regularly takes up soldiers’ issues with the SANDF, most recently winning back technical allowances for artisans. Last year the Pretoria High Court ordered the Department of Defence to reinstate technical allowances to artisans after 900 soldiers were deprived of these allowances following a policy change.
Sandu approached the court on behalf of 16 members whose technical allowances were summarily stopped. After the court decision, Sandu was inundated by artisans, not all Sandu members, seeking assistance with reinstatement of the technical allowances affecting artisans in the nine provincial works units and other Works Formation structures.
A January Sandu questionnaire seeks further information to strengthen its hand for another round in court. Military artisans were split into four groups for the questionnaire covering, among others, those whose technical allowance was removed by the so-called “policy” decision of April 2023. Others who qualified after this but weren’t placed and didn’t receive back pay were also asked to complete the questionnaire.
Sandu will assist those who responded to formulate grievances to be heard at internal formation hearings.
Among comment on the technical allowance withdrawal was that it was an “unfair labour practice”. Another asked how people with the same qualifications, doing the same work weren’t entitled to the same allowances with a further comment noting the court ruling set a precedent which should apply to all military artisans, whether they were Sandu members or not.
