Johannesburg - “I am just a simple guy that wants to do a job,” says labour registrar Johan Crouse as he prepares to return to the job he fought hard to get back.
However, the break has not deterred the passion of the man who has worked for the Labour Department for 39 years.
In fact, he planned to pick up right where he left off because, if he fails to, Ceppwawu “would collapse soon”.
“I am still hell-bent on rescuing this union if I am back in the office on Monday, that’s the first thing that I will tackle.”
He was relieved when the office of the acting registrar sent him current case files, indicating there may be little attempt to delay his reinstatement.
Crouse may not have enough time to see many of his plans through, though. He will retire from the public service in October, but not without a fight.
He said he was preparing for yet another court battle against the department, this time for equal pay as he was on a lower rank to most of his colleagues on the same level.
“I will most probably take the matter to the department and say if you do not adjust the salary, I will be making a case for discrimination on the basis of salaries,” Crouse said.
However, the stress caused by the two-year litigation from which he has just emerged victoriously was not far from his mind.
“It has caused a lot of harm. For the past two years I was sitting, wondering what’s going to happen.
"I doubt the minister will even be there or say something when I leave office because the officials of the office are not important to them," he commented.