The protests came as a result of the nation-wide wage strike, in which employees demanded an 8,5% wage increase and increased car allowance.

The Tzaneen branch permanent employees protested outside their offices in town holding banners written their demands.

PPECB offers quality certification and cold chain management services for producers and exporters of perishable food products.

Which means (PPECB) gives the go ahead to farmers to export their perishable products overseas and without approval of the farm inspectors no products will be exported.

“We sent our workers back to work on Friday because the employer has given an indication that they will negotiate with us, however they maintain that 7% is a fair offer.

We thought that it will be senseless to continue striking for more days as the no work no pay policy applies,” said Ettien Rahl, Chairperson of Solidarity Union within PPECB.

Other branches which were involved in the strike were Langkloof, Sunday’s River Valley, Montague Gardens, Gauteng centre, Ceres, Groblersdal and Nelspruit.

Citrus and avocado farmers would have been affected the most by the protest in the Tzaneen area.

“We are not really affected by the strike because we have temporary PPECB employees inspecting our products, so business is going as planned, said one staff member in the export department at Mahela.

Rahl added that they still maintain that they need the 8,5% salary increase, but they will look for alternative ways to protest such as a go slow strike but in the meantime the employees are back at work.

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