Govt retrenchments a hot button for COSATU amid SA's high unemployment rate
COSATU said among its demands government must address the high cost of electricity and fix the crippling economy.
Hundreds of demonstrators led by the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) marched to Parliament and the Western Cape Legislature on 7 October 2024, to handover a memorandum demanding for the government to address the high cost of living, poverty, unemployment and inequality. Picture: Melikhaya Zagagana/Eyewitness News
CAPE TOWN - Hundreds of demonstrators led by the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) marched to Parliament and the Western Cape Legislature on Monday, to handover a memorandum demanding for the government to address the high cost of living, poverty, unemployment and inequality.
Some of the unions represented amongst the demonstrators included the South African Democratic Teachers Union, National Education, Health and Allied Workers' Union (NEHAWU), Federation of Unions of South Africa (FEDUSA), South African Commercial, Catering and Allied Workers Union and United Transport Union.
COSATU said among its demands government must address the high cost of electricity and fix the crippling economy.
According to the provincial COSATU chairperson, Motlatsi Tsubane, the government continues to retrench workers without creating new jobs.
"We are saying to government they must create decent jobs for workers in order for workers to be able to maintain their families, that is what we are saying to government."
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Meanwhile, the Minister of Higher Education Nobuhle Nkabane was sent out by Parliament to collect the memorandum of demands from the demonstrators and had this to say.
"We welcome the memorandum, and we want to affirm that we also support the International Day for decent work, and international working-class solidarity."
At the same time, Western Cape Premier Alan Winde found validity in the concerns raised by the unions.
He said the province was at an advanced stage on its jobs plan that would address unemployment in the province.
"We believe here in the province with evidence-based policing that we are showing that there's that difference, and I'm looking forward to finding solutions in the safety space, so we get growth for jobs and safety going so that we’ll bring unemployment down…So let’s all stand together, let’s make sure that we build an economy that's resilient."
COSATU has given the government fourteen days to respond on the issues raised.