In South Africa, a heated debate is brewing over the National Minimum Wage (NMW). The Democratic Alliance (DA) worries that raising wages could lead to more job losses, especially for young and lowskilled workers. On the other side, COSATU pushes for a wage increase to fight poverty and make life fairer for workers. This clash reflects deep economic struggles and a long history of inequality, making the future of wages a critical issue for many people in the country.
The Community Work Programme (CWP) workers have recently protested outside the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) in Pretoria due to delayed payments for April. This has brought attention to the situation of thousands of South African workers who rely solely on the CWP programme for their livelihoods. According to reports, over 260,800 CWP workers across the country have been affected by payment delays, which typically occur around contract renewal time. The delay is due to the CWP programme’s transition from an implementing agent to the COGTA.
