Durban — Former president of Cosatu, Sidumo Dlamini, said he is confident that the government will take note of their grievances and respond positively.
This was during a protest that was led by the federation’s leaders from King Dinuzulu Park to the Durban City Hall on Thursday, to hand over a memorandum of grievances to the KwaZulu-Natal premier and eThekwini Municipality, among others.
Dlamini said that they held a nationwide protest against rampant unemployment, high-interest rates, the water crisis and inequality. He said that it is important that the labour federation puts an end to the privatisation of Transnet.
WATCH: Former Cosatu president Sidumo Dlamini is leading the Cosatu march aimed at highlighting socioeconomic issues in the country. The march began at King Dinuzulu Park and is headed to the Durban City Hall. #Cosatu pic.twitter.com/iTQarTuJFe
— Daily News (@DailyNewsSA) July 6, 2023
“What we believe in, as Cosatu, is that the more we make noise, it is more likely that somebody or some officials will listen because load shedding is the biggest issue that we are faced with in this country and it is affecting many companies, which is resulting to some of them considering closing down,” Dlamini said.
“In the health-care sector patients are not receiving the service delivery they should be receiving …
“It is not about a number of marches we are holding, but it is about the noise that we are making and the message we want to put across the government.”
He said that the march was also for workers to put forward their feelings about the inequality they face in the workplace.
“It is true that everything comes at a high cost in this country, such as petrol, electricity, which is most likely to experience load shedding, which is why we have been assigned to come here to KZN.
“Others have gone to other provinces to give the support to Cosatu’s important strike because there are matters of collective bargaining that have been affected in the different sectors. In the public sector I know for a fact that at the moment 3% has been given as an increase with no proper engagements,” Dlamini said.
“We are here to work together. The SACP is also here to strengthen that workers get a salary increase so that their rights are rightfully met.”
WATCH: Speaking outside the Durban City Hall, former Cosatu president Sidumo Dlamini said that Durban workers need to stand together and fight against the high cost of living. #Cosatu pic.twitter.com/5MHj3zicAE
— Daily News (@DailyNewsSA) July 6, 2023
Cosatu provincial secretary Edwin Mkhize said that some of the issues the country is facing include the constant increase in interest rates.
“Interest rates are going up day by day. A recent industrialisation report states that after Covid-19, South Africa is shrinking in terms of creating job opportunities. We ask that the government and private sectors make sure that more working firms are opened and more workers are employed,” said Mkhize.
He said that it can not be accepted that South Africa is still sitting at unemployment figures of more than 43%.
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