THE South African Federation of Trade Unions (SAFTU) has announced plans for a national shutdown on August 24 2022 to protest against loadshedding, high unemployment levels and the rising cost of living in South Africa.
SAFTU held a press briefing on Thursday in Boksburg, Ekurhuleni, following its national executive committee (NEC) meeting.
The NEC meeting was attended by the union’s national office bearers, including the Presidents and General Secretaries of the affiliated unions and the Provincial Chairpersons and Secretaries.
The federation’s General-Secretary Zwelinzima Vavi said its NEC has decided to call for a national shutdown in response to the various challenges currently facing South Africans.
Vavi cited, among others, the increasing cost of living, Eskom’s power crisis, the staggering unemployment levels and wage freezes in the public sector.
“The NEC has decided to call for a national shut down to respond to the worsening living standards because of massive increase in prices for food, electricity, interests’ rates and fuels. Load shedding that leads to collapse of small businesses and increased job losses,” said Vavi.
“The austerity programme that has led to government freezing public sector wages, not investing in the infrastructure, and not filling vacancies, privatisation, jobs bloodbath and the worsening unemployment, and the worsening levels of crime including GBV and killing of police officers.”
He said the union federation is also expected to request a wide array of political parties and organisations to join the one-day strike.
“Saftu has set a targeted date for a one-day general strike on the 24 of August 2022. People who say ohh no so far. We don’t want to rush and just do another event which pass and the status quo remain,” said Vavi.
“We want to be thorough in the consultation with our own members, we want to roll that process of consultation with other federations and other trade unions properly so that we don’t leave anybody behind. We want to knock at the door of every political party that is left leaning.”
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