South African Trade Unions Plan Nationwide Protest Against Economic Deterioration and Poor Governance

The Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) and its affiliated organizations have announced plans to hold a nationwide protest on Thursday, 6 July 2023. In a statement released on 3 July 2023, the unions revealed that the protest is a response to the deteriorating state of the South African economy and poor governance.

Workers Demand Action on Issues Like Load Shedding, Cable Theft, and Corruption

Workers are demanding that the government take action on a range of issues, including load shedding, cable theft, crime, corruption, wasteful expenditure, and austerity measures. The protest aims to send a message to the government, the Reserve Bank, and commercial banks that the working class cannot bear the burden of rising inflation, electricity tariff hikes, and repo rate increases.

Strike Certificate Secured from Nedlac

Cosatu has secured a strike certificate from Nedlac, which provides protection under section 77 of the Labour Relations Act (LRA). This means that participants cannot be fired for taking part in the strike, although the principle of “no work, no pay” will still apply.

Proposals to Alleviate Employee Pressure and Uplift the Economy

The union has put forward several proposals aimed at alleviating employee pressure and uplifting the economy. These include raising the social relief of distress grant to the food poverty line at R624, ensuring the timely implementation of the two-pot pension reforms by 1 March 2024, and addressing the obstacles causing delays in the rollout of the public infrastructure program.

Other proposals include taking immediate action to rectify the consistent non-payment of employees in 36 municipalities, revoking the clause in the Municipal Systems Amendment Act that prevents all 350,000 municipal workers from holding political office at any level, and urgently intervening to revitalize and modernize Transnet and Metrorail.

Additional suggestions encompass swift measures to prevent the collapse and liquidation of the Post Office and allocating more resources to equip the SAPS, NPA, SIU, Hawks, and judiciary adequately to combat crime and corruption effectively. The union also calls for more funds to be allocated to SARS to combat tax evasion and customs fraud.

Nationwide Protest Reflects Growing Frustration Among Working Class

Although a significant portion of Cosatu’s affiliate members are essential service workers who cannot participate in strikes, the nationwide protest reflects the growing frustration among the working class regarding the government’s inability to create a sustainable economic environment.

Call for Government Action

In conclusion, the nationwide protest organized by Cosatu and its affiliated organizations serves as a potent reminder of the urgent need for the South African government to address the numerous issues plaguing the nation’s economy and governance. The proposed measures by the union offer a roadmap to alleviate employee pressure and revitalize the economy. However, it remains to be seen if the government will listen and take the necessary action to improve the lives of the working class and the country as a whole.