The Congress of South African Trade Unions in KwaZulu Natal is more than ready to host the 2024 Workers Day Celebration. This year's Workers Day celebration coincides with the celebration of the 30 years after South Africa attained its democracy in 1994. The celebration of the 1st of May is historic in our country, it is the acknowledgment of the achievements made by workers through their hard struggles prior and post the 1994 breakthrough.
COSATU KZN is fully aware that because of the myriad challenges caused by the system of neoliberalism, workers may not easily realise this milestone. The destruction is caused by the ever-rising cost of living, exploitation in particular in the private sector, corruption in the private and public sectors. Because of this, many workers may not realise how much the workplace has changed and may not see the need to defend these gains, which will be a big blunder and regression.
Indeed, the workplace is not the same as before 1994. There are many progressive labour legislations that the democratic government have put in place and implemented. Today we speak of the Labour Relations Act, Unemployment Insurance Act, the Basic Conditions of Unemployment Act, the National Minimum Wage, the Skills Development Act, Health and Safety Act, the Affirmative Action, the Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment, the ongoing improvement in the procurement Bill, the list is endless. These democratic gains came through blood, sweat, and sacrifices of workers, which cost lives and limbs of many. This is the foundation of the deepening and advancing the National Democratic Revolution, which seeks to address the fundamental contradictions of class, race and gender.
COSATU acknowledges that there is more that has been achieved, but more still needs to be done, hence we always say the struggle of the workers continues. Our country has implemented the basic income grants covering the various sects of our society, but COSATU still demands that our economy must create enough employment.
The Federation continues with the struggle for the improved lives of the vulnerable workers, safe and reliable public transport as workers, under the leadership of COSATU and trade unions are at the verge of realising the Two Pot System that allows workers to withdraw from their pension funds and the National Health Insurance etc. We are happy that the ANC in its Manifesto has committed to address unemployment, cost of living which has escalated worse during the COVID19 pandemic, declining wages in both private and public sector. It is in this context that COSATU says to workers defend and advance.
Workers will be coming from all over the province of KwaZulu Natal to commemorate and celebrate their victories that they have waged gallantly together over the years of colonialism, apartheid and the post democratic breakthrough in 1994. They will also be addressed on current struggles and campaigns the Federation advancing on behalf of workers.
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The Workers Day Celebration event in KZN is planned as follows:
Date : Wednesday, 01 May 2024
Venue : Curries Fountain Stadium, Durban
Time : 10h00 a.m.
The Workers Day Rally will be addressed by the leaders of the Alliance, the General Secretary of COSATU - comrade Solly Photoe, the ANC Secretary General - comrade Fikile Mbalula, the SACP 1st Deputy General Secretary - comrade Madala Masuku and SANCO General Secretary - comrade Mike Soko.
Workers Day will also be celebrated through cultural activities and live music entertainment as part and parcel of signifying the traditional and historical nature of Workers Day Celebrations.
