PHUTI MOSOMANE
THE South African Federation of Trade Unions (SAFTU) General Secretary Zwelinzima Vavi says the federation will join EFF’s national shutdown protest on March 20 2023 “under certain conditions”.
“We will mobilise our own members to join the protest across the country. However, our participation has conditions which have been discussed with the EFF. This includes that the shutdown is not sectarian, where all other formations will be called to join a programme of one political party,” Vavi said.
He said the federation has engaged NEDLAC in an effort to ensure that workers who intend joining the national shutdown are protected.
“We have submitted a Section 77 notice this morning to Nedlac to protect all workers, in and outside the federation. This means any worker, even if they are not a member of any union, will be protected from victimisation by the employers when they participate in that national shutdown,” he said.
“Saftu is not willing to just join a political party programme, we can’t do that because we are an independent federation. We can only join a broad front of left formations working together to achieve a common goal of an effective national shutdown.”
Vavi said what was happening at Eskom regarding loadshedding was an example of a failed State as the government has failed for 15 years to address issues plaguing the entity..
“The SAFTU NEC met from 27th February to 1st March 2023 and unanimously agreed to categorise South Africa as a failed state,” he added.
Vavi told reporters on Thursday that SAFTU’s NEC has resolved to support the court action against government declaration of a national State of Disaster on the ongoing loadshedding.
The case is scheduled to be heard in the South Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg on 20 March 2023.
The United Democratic Movement (UDM) has also urged its supporters to join a planned picket outside the court.
INSIDE POLITICS
