All focus on the forgotten, the workers

What difference can a year make in politics?

Last year in Free State, on Workers’ Day, the workers rejected former president Jacob Zuma.

They did not allow him to address them.

This was the first time since the dawn of democratic South Africa that workers rejected a sitting president from addressing them.

Yesterday, workers gathered around the world to celebrate this day that recognises labourers and the entire working class.

As usual, SA workers attended several rallies in various provinces around the country to mark the day.

In the main, this day reminds workers about oppression in the workplace and how they are excluded in owning the means of production.

Currently, the government and business is debating how to build a strong economy as well as addressing land reform – but, yet, workers have been forgotten.

While in the first 20 years of democracy the government has empowered a few to be rich, the sweat and blood of those who help to build the economy of the country remain forgotten.

The workers still earn yesteryear’s slave wages.

There is no excuse for big retail companies such as Pick n Pay and Woolworths to use casual workers and pay them below the minimum wage.

The government has good labour policies that protect workers, but the Labour Department has employed only 130 inspectors to monitor all sectors for compliance – from retailers to companies and homes.

To be effective, the department has to employ more of these inspectors because currently there are not even enough to monitor whether domestic workers receive the stipulated minimum wage.

Yesterday, President Cyril Ramaphosa marked the day in Port Elizabeth where thousands gathered to hear his message.

He spoke about the progress government has made in protecting workers’ rights and how his government will continue to do so.

But the battle for federations has began as Cosatu and the South African Federation of Trade Unions (Saftu) held rallies not far from each other in Port Elizabeth.

Ramaphosa, like all former presidents, will be judged on how he treats the forgotten – South Africa’s working class.