Thousands strike: ‘enough is enough’
SCARE tactics, hoax posts on social media about possible violence and a general feeling of being fed-up with the ongoing bus strike saw thousands of workers and pupils stay away from work and schools, with the SA Federation of Trade Unions (Saftu) claiming a victory over its call for a national shutdown.
In Cape Town around 5 000 Saftu members participated in a march from Kaizergracht Street to the Civic Centre and Parliament to hand over a memorandum of grievances.
“Comrades it’s a new dawn for us as a union. As a union it’s a new day. We are saying today enough is enough,” said Ntlo Rotse, second deputy president of Saftu affiliate Numsa.
She used the opportunity to remind the members of the federation that Marikana workers were demanding R12 500.
Saftu members marched to the Civic Centre where the Water Crisis Coalition handed over 3 500 signatures opposing exorbitant tariff increases in the City’s draft budget.
“I am struggling so much because what I am earning is not enough to buy food,” said Nqabisa Mthethanelabq from Khayelitsha. “This is about our wages; we cannot live like this on a small salary.”
Mthethanelabq is a contract worker who earns R1 800. She has two children and is a single parent. “It’s really frustrating for me because I don’t have anyone who can support me when I need assistance, and as a mother I really want the best for my children.”
Water Crisis Coalition member Shaheed Mohammed said: “We are here to tell the City to leave our water alone and to stop privatisation of water and land.”
He said the organisation completely rejected desalination. “We are saying no to desalination and no to the City’s budget.”
Saftu is protesting against the proposed national minimum wage of R20 an hour and changes to labour laws. According to them this would entrench poverty.
“The student struggle is part of the workers’ struggle; our struggle is entwined. This is an insult to the working class. You cannot feed children on a salary of R3 500,” #FeesMustFall activist Athabile Nonxuba said. He used the opportunity to add that the outsourcing of workers had to end.
In the memorandum Saftu and other affiliates handed over to Parliament, they demanded the scrapping of the increase in VAT, quality higher education and affordable housing near their places of work.
A group of farmworkers in Grabouw affiliated to Saftu blocked off the N2 for the entire day yesterday. Workers and pupils travelling
to Grabouw struggled to get to work and school.
Sadtu general secretary Jacques Adams said the protesters were a group of farmworkers. Adams said the protesters, who blocked off the N2 in both directions, prevented pupils from attending schools.
“Some of the schools in the area were half-empty, with only few learners attending yesterday. Protesters prevented cars and buses from entering Grabouw. They were pelting motorists on the N2 with stones.
“Because of this, police and traffic officials had to block off the roads. Workers and children could not get to school. They did not want people to go to school and work,” Adams said.
‘SOME OF THE SCHOOLS IN THE AREA WERE HALFEMPTY, WITH ONLY A FEW LEARNERS’
Provincial traffic chief Kenny Africa said they had to close the N2 for the entire day. “We had to close the roads due to the protests.
“People were burning objects on the roads and throwing stones at cars. The situation on the N2 is still tense. It is also dangerous. We are asking motorists to use alternative routes.”