Cosatu to hit the streets Wednesday

Striking members of the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) march through the Durban city centre in this file photo.

Striking members of the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) march through the Durban city centre in this file photo.

Published Oct 5, 2015

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Johannesburg - Labour federation Cosatu is ready to march for socio-economic transformation on Wednesday, which also marks World Day for Decent Work.

While the federation did not commit itself to figures, it said it had mobilised thousands of workers on the ground and other organisations, including the National Taxi Association, which had confirmed it would join the federation on the nation-wide demonstrations.

Cosatu will march to the Department of Labour, Parliament and the Chamber of Business, among other institutions.

The federation’s acting general secretary, Bheki Ntshalintshali told reporters in Johannesburg on Monday that it wants government and business to urgently address the high rate of unemployment in the country, while working on ways to avert impending job losses in a number of industries.

“There are about 8 million unemployed people in this country and the majority of them are young people. This is a crisis that needs urgent attention because it has the potential to cause political instability for our democracy,” he said.

The federation said it would also demand the scrapping of e-tolls and the provision of a decent, safe public transport system.

Cosatu could not convince the ruling African National Congress, at an alliance summit earlier this year, to abandon the user-pay model of e-tolling.

Another demand which remains a thorny subject between the alliance partners is Cosatu’s call that labour brokers be eradicated.

“We will make it clear to both government and big business that we are opposed to these exploitative practices,” said Ntshalintshali.

The finalisation of discussions about the National Minimum Wage at the National Economic Development and Labour Council would also be pressed for during the demonstrations.

Cosatu blamed business for delays in the implementation of the wage system which it believes could successfully address wage and social inequalities.

Labour Bureau

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