ANC ‘empoverished workers even more’

The SA Federation of Trade Unions leader Zwelinzima Vavi says the ANC has worsened the poverty of the working class.

The SA Federation of Trade Unions’ general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi has lashed out at the ANC for having worsened the poverty of the working class people since it came to power in 1994.

Vavi, who was a keynote speaker at the Transport Action Retail and General Workers Union (Thor) national congress in Durban on Saturday, said Finance Minister Malusi Gigaba’s budget, together with the State of the Nation Address delivered by President Cyril Ramaphosa, were a reminder to the workers that they are on their own.

“Following these two speeches, the class that exploits the working class is ecstatic. They can’t believe that what they were told will be a radical economic transformation has become the defence of the status quo. They have no worries whatsoever; they now know more than before that their mines, monopoly industries, the oceans and even the land will remain firmly in their hands,” Vavi said.

“Those who accumulated property under colonialism and apartheid would continue to be the owners of that property. Those whose land was dispossessed and who have no property will continue like before being the property-less and landless class.”

“They know that there are no major policy changes to even threaten the status quo. In fact, they are colluding with the ruling class to make sure the workers forget about their own challenges. To them now that Jacob Zuma is no longer the president, things must return to ‘normal’.”

According to Vavi, the normality they referred to was that 14 million South Africans go to bed every night hungry and 55% of the population lived in poverty or on less than R1 000 a month.

“The ANC, not Zuma and or Ramaphosa, has worsened the material conditions of the working class to a pauper status. This is the second most important struggle, which cannot be separated from the struggle to rebuild trade unions and civil society formations.”

He said they’d also fight the increase in VAT announced by Gigaba, adding that the federation would agitate for protest actions.