By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) is holding a nationwide strike to highlight the plight of workers on Monday to mark World Day for Decent Work.
It’s been a slow start to Cosatu’s mass nationwide protest, with workers trickling in to various sites.
The trade union federation is joined by affiliated trade unions, including the South African Clothing and Textile Workers Union (Sactwu) and the South African Commercial, Catering and Allied Workers Union (Saccawu).
Cosatu has stated that its primary grievance is South Africa’s high unemployment rate, with 11.3 million people in need of jobs.
“Given this very high unemployment rate, Cosatu is actually demanding a moratorium on retrenchments because it doesn’t make sense to say we have this high unemployment rate and then we are still cutting the little jobs that we have,” said Zanele Sabela, Cosatu’s national spokesperson.
South Africa faces one of the highest unemployment rates in the world, with official figures nearing 33%. Youth unemployment is particularly dire, with more than 60% of young people unable to secure jobs.
The National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (Natjoints), through its National Coordination Centre (NCC), is monitoring the nationwide Cosatu strike.
The march aims to deliver memorandums to various partners regarding the state of the economy.
The Natjoints, responsible for policing major events and large gatherings, has mobilised all its resources.
It’s working closely with all law enforcement agencies, including traffic officials, to ensure the safety of workers participating in the strike.
Police spokeswoman Brigadier Athlenda Mathe said that Natjoints has urged workers to gather and demonstrate peacefully within the confines of the law.
“Natjoints will not tolerate any lawlessness, blocking of roads, and any disruptions,” she said.
Joburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) spokesman Superintendent Xolani Fihla said that the JMPD will be closely monitoring a picket and march organised by Cosatu in Sandton, north of Joburg.
Fihla said that upon reaching Discovery, they would turn onto Fredman Drive and then onto Katherine Street to hand over memorandums to the Joburg Stock Exchange (JSE), Treasury, the Reserve Bank, and the Department of Employment and Labour.
“Motorists are advised to be aware of potential traffic disruptions during these times. JMPD officers will be deployed to assist with traffic management in the Sandton precinct,” Fihla added.