Looming strike in the banking sector of South Africa is now at hand according to Sasbo, the country’s biggest financial union. They urged South Africans to get enough cash ready for personal needs during the anticipated national strike.

Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) and banking services will be shut down on Friday, as Sasbo leads a strike against retrenchments.

Sasbo’s spokesperson, Joe Kokela, cautioned South Africans to brace themselves for consequences of the strike.

‘‘ATMs are mended and programmed by our members so if our members are not at work then there will be no service produced,’‘ Kokela warned.

“If you’re travelling make sure you have enough petrol because the speed points machines may not be working.”

Several banks in South Africa have recently announced restructuring plans that include digitisation of several processes. The plans will lead to the retrenchment of thousands of workers.

Standard Bank closed 91 branches, affecting hundreds of jobs.

Absa also announced jobs would be at risk because of its restructuring processes.

Regarding the strike, FNB said its customers would be able to access the bank’s services through online and mobile banking.

But Kokela said even these services would not be operational.

“They forget that there’s a human being who is in operation of those robots. So, there will be no one who will be able to go into the app.”

Sasbo represents 73,000 finance sector employees and expects over 40,000 of its members to join in the strike.