The strike at the National Housing Enterprise today entered its third day.

Employees say their industrial action is not only about salary increments, but overall governance at the company.

NHE Management is adamant that there is no money to effect salary increments.

Workers however say recent events within the institution indicate otherwise. 

They cited as an example, a trip undertaken by management to Cape Town and the holding of executive meetings at hotels instead of the company's boardroom, as well as the unprocedural appointment of certain employees.

PSUN Secretary General Ndjizuvee Haakuria said all these things are not bonding well and don't build social capital, nor build trust. He added that he understand the CFO was appointed on different criteria and that appointments were made where the requirements were allegedly lowered to accommodate certain people. 

But NHE's CEO, Gisbertus Mukulu would not comment, apart from saying that those are confidential matters that cannot be discussed with the media. 

"I don't have a comment on those issues because those are internal matters and of course, we need to preserve confidentiality and that is the most important thing."

The workers say they are willing to come back to work but only once the NHE shows a genuine willingness to change how the institution is run. 

"The workers fear for their job security because they are not convinced that 2-3 years down the line, with the current behaviour, this company will still be existing. You are saying the company doesn't have money, implement the following measures to save the company and we call off the strike because now we know that we are assured under the circumstances, how are we assured that come next year or the year after next year, we are going to get the answer of no money."

Mukulu reiterated that the 'no work no pay' rule would apply.

"Now that they are striking, what are they going to do to diffuse the situation? Are they going to come up with another alternative or something? Because right now, all of us are quiet, sticking to our own guns but of course, a compromise needs to be reached."

The NHE appointed a new board on Friday, the 24th of February, the same day the strike commenced. 

Haakuria said, "it was to boost the confidence of the workers that there is a new board now we don't need to go on strike, let's give them a chance. The only chance that the new board will get is for them to engage the workers so that we can tell them about the rot inside that building that led to the strike."