Trade Unions Take to Streets Over South Africa's State of Economy

The Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu), one of South Africa's largest trade unions and 16 of its affiliates, took to the streets on July 6, 2023, in a protected strike, to protest against what they describe as the government's inaction on the economy, crime and working conditions.

The Cosatu national day of action saw 12 marches take place nationally, included the handing over of memoranda at various centres in major cities including KwaZulu-Natal, Free State, Gauteng and the Western Cape.

The Democratic Nurses Association (Denosa) said they're joining the action because the government's did not implement collective bargaining agreements, left vacant posts unfilled due to Budget cuts and corruption, and the constant cutting of water and electricity supplies to homes and government service centres like clinics and hospitals.

Cosatu representative for KwaZulu-Natal Edwin Mkhize told SABC that the issue of labour brokers and the role they play in the jobs market has to be revived.

In Gauteng province Cosatu President Zingiswa Losi said: "Cosatu is embarking on this socio-economic nationwide strike in protest of the rising levels of unemployment, wage cuts, poverty and inequality affecting the workers and the working class in general.

In Cape Town, Cosatu Western Cape General-Secretary Malvern De Bruyn told Bush Radio, "not much work is done to combat issues such as crime and unemployment in the province".

"Cosatu is engaging government for quite some time. We had numerous discussions and raised concerns through Nedlac, and unfortunately we failed to reach an agreement. Hence the only way to force government in a certain direction is to go out in our numbers in the street, as it is the only weapon we have as the working class," De Bruyn said.

In the Free State, the Cosatu march convened in the mining town of Allen Ridge. Cosatu General Secretary Solly Phetoe, spoke to the SABC on the state of the energy crisis and its impact on jobs, as well as the contamination of water by mining houses and its impact on communities.