Technical allowances for Department of Defence (DoD) artisans remain a legal matter in progress, with Sandu (SA National Defence Union) waiting for heads of argument to be submitted to the North Gauteng High Court.
The Pretoria headquartered defence labour organisation took up legal cudgels on behalf of 16 members last year when the DoD decided to end payment of the allowances. Acting on behalf of Minister Angie Motshekga, the Defence Legal Services Division (DLSD) opposed a late November hearing in the Pretoria Court where Sandu, acting on behalf of all artisans, not only its members, was awarded the legal victory. This was subsequently appealed by the Defence and Military Veterans Ministry through DLSD.
Updating members and the wider Works Formation artisan force, Sandu said papers were filed by the Defence Ministry mid-last week (9 April). The onus, according to the military trade union, is now on Minister Motshekga who has 15 working days to file heads of argument in a rescission case. “This means she must file by 30 April,” Sandu said adding once its lawyers are in receipt of those “we will be in a position to file our own heads of argument and apply for a hearing date”.
“Hearing dates are solely determined by the court. Currently it is estimated that a hearing date would probably be allocated for October 2025.”
The removal of artisan technical allowances, apparently a policy decision, affects 900 building and allied trades artisans in the Works Formation.
