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By Siviwe Feketha 
2h ago
Johannesburg – Cyril Ramaphosa faces the wrath of organized labor following the abrupt cancellation of the FIU Covid-19 Temporary Relief Plan for Employers / Employees (Ters) by his National Coronavirus Command Council (NCCC).
Unions and businesses expressed shock upon learning that the NCCC had moved to cancel the Ters benefit on Thursday without consulting the social partners despite assurances from Ramaphosa last month that it would continue alongside the state’s extension of disaster.
The country’s largest union federation, Cosatu, said this raised questions about whether Ramaphosa was in charge of its administration or not.
Cosatu’s national spokesperson, Sizwe Pamla, said that anything coming from Ramaphosa would be questioned in the future if the decision is not reversed.
“We cannot afford to have a system where a public commitment from the president can be ignored or rejected by some group of unelected and irresponsible bureaucrats. This is a slippery slope and the question will soon be raised as to who is in charge and if the center really holds up. “
Pamla added that the unions plan to request that Labor and Employment Minister Thulas Nxesi come and explain the failures in handing over the FIU to the workers, which, he said, fueled mistrust they had in the Ramaphosa administration.
“This administration is becoming less and less trustworthy and less trustworthy and this trust deficit is a big problem for the social partners who work and engage with it on a daily basis,” he said.
Nxesi’s spokesman, Sabelo Mali, said the ministry was still awaiting guidance from the NCCC on the reasoning behind canceling the Ters benefit, adding that Nxesi was not to blame for it.
“We are still going to be clear on this. The decision to cancel the fund has been a decision of the NCCC, ”Mali said.
Pamla said the Ters benefit had already saved many workers from being laid off, adding that its suspension would result in mass layoffs.
“… This does not help the FIU because these laid off employees will now demand from the FIU that they be paid the full reduction over the next 12 months, which costs more,” added Pamla.
Business for SA also reiterated the warning that there would be serious ramifications if Ramaphosa did not reverse the decision, which it described as “reckless and irrational.” “If the government believes that the remaining Level 1 restrictions are necessary, the Ters must be maintained,” he said.
Saftur’s general secretary, Zwelinzima Vavi, appeared unaware of the controversial decision, insisting that it had not been made by the government.
Fedusa General Secretary Riefdah Ajam described the decision as an insult to workers and accused the government of undermining the efforts agreed by social partners to prevent job cuts.
Political Bureau
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