Rival union marches spark fears

TWO of the country’s rival unions will hold massive marches in the Durban city centre to mark May Day on Monday sparking fears of potential clashes between supporters.

Cosatu and the newlyformed South African Federation of Trade Unions (Saftu) will march along the same routes, albeit at different times.

Cosatu in KwaZulu-Natal has written to the authorities in the city warning that allowing the marches on the same route is “not ideal”.

“We said we do not want to be held accountable for anything that happens there. We really do not think it is ideal taking into consideration the political climate.

“Those who will also be marching are our rivals and their leaders have been throwing unkind words at our leaders,” said Edwin Mkhize, Cosatu’s provincial secretary.

Mkhize said he saw the Saftu march as an act of provocation, adding that Cosatu had applied for its march as early as January.

Enemies

National Union of Metalworkers (Numsa) provincial secretary Mbuso Ngubane said the new federation, of which the metalworkers union is an affiliate, did not view Cosatu members as enemies and therefore did not foresee any problems.

“KZN is a very strategic province, if you look at the history of Numsa and the history of worker struggles. But also given what has been happening in this province, we thought we should hold the march here as a means of educating people about the need to allow people to exercise their constitutional rights of free association. We will certainly not attack other workers.”

Metro police spokesman Sbonelo Mchunu said the police were prepared to deal with any acts of criminality on the day. “We cannot pre-empt what will happen; those who plan criminal activities do not come to us and tell us what they plan to do. But it is not a new thing that you have rival organisations marching almost concurrently. It should also be noted that they are not marching at the same time (or from the same place),” he said.

Ngubane said Numsa, which is coordinating the Saftu march, had initially tried to book King Dinuzulu park as a point of convergence, but Cosatu had booked both that and Currie’s Fountain.

The Cosatu march will be from King Dinuzulu to Gugu Dlamini park and will be led by heavyweights including ANC national chairperson Baleka Mbete, Cosatu’s second deputy president Zingiswa Losi and SACP first deputy general-secretary Solly Mapaila.

The Saftu march will start at Curries Fountain, heading to City Hall and will be led by Numsa general secretary Irvin Jim and Zwelinzima Vavi, the general-secretary.