WHO IS GREEDY?

It sometimes baffles me to always hear that we should tighten our belts as inflation is looming. We are advised not to demand high salary wages as this will trigger inflation. However, this seems to be application to the low salary bracket individuals. Two years ago, educators went on strike in demand of 15% salary increase, they were told that they were greedy. Similarly, when salaries of cabinet minister and the president were reviewed, they all received more that 15% demanded by educators.

On the same note, Eskom is said to be in deficit, when its employees demanded an salary increase, many negative things were said about them.The shocking news today is that Eskom chief executive Jacob Maroga is to get 26,7 percent –Nearly three times what Eskom gave its workers. Eskom employees settled last month for a 10, 55 percent salary increase after a ruling by the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration that averted a strike at the last minute. The NUM, which has about 16 000 members at Eskom, wanted a 14 percent wage hike - about double the inflation rate.

Union spokesperson Lesiba Seshoka slammed Maroga's increase as an "indication of (executives') greed". "That is a huge disappointment to all of us. When we argued for a wage increase, they said the company had no money. This is really an indication of the greed that the top executives in this country have.