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National Union of Metalworkers (NUMSA) marching.
Public sector unions are mobilising for nationwide protests against the Government Employees Medical Scheme (GEMS). This follows a decision to hike membership contributions by 9.8% this year, with a minor adjustment to 9.5% slated for April.
Federations, including Cosatu, Saftu, and Fedusa, believe the scheme has abandoned its mandate of affordability.
The frustration will hit the streets this weekend, culminating in a massive nationwide march to the GEMS offices in Pretoria next Thursday.
Fedusa’s Joseph Mashigo says, “The concern is that we are not just looking at 2025. We are looking at the increase that has accumulated over time, because in 2025, and that is not even looking, you know, back to other years, but if we were to take it from 2025 itself, GEMS implemented an increase of 13.4%. Now, when you add that to the increase of 9.8%, which was revised from February to 9.5%, we are talking of around a 23% increase. Now, that is a very high increase.”
