Cosatu posturing a joke

● Nation-wide stayaway and protest over job losses

Cosatu’s recent posturing in the media about spiralling job losses as the economy implodes is laughable.

The blame lies squarely with the government and the labour movement.

What Cosatu conveniently forgets is unemployment is a direct result of a weak government, and an antagonistic labour movement protected by unrealistic labour laws.

They ignore the fact that strikes, stayaways and sabotage in the work place inevitably result in job losses.

What did they hope to achieve by Wednesday’s nation-wide demonstrations?

In part, load-shedding is also the direct result of interference by labour during the construction of Kusile and Medupi, resulting in a costly over-run of billions of rands.

Despite their opposition to the proposed changes to the structure of Eskom, labour should realistically expect further job losses, whether these changes are introduced or not.

Also, Eskom has become a bottomless pit of debt and it is doubtful that it will ever become financially viable again.

It is time the tripartite alliance accept that privatisation of Eskom is inevitable and that current labour legislation needs to be urgently revised if we are to save the economy and prevent further job losses.

David Aldendorff, Port Elizabeth

Picture: WIKUS DE WET/ AFP LABOUR DEMANDS: Demonstrators hold placards protesting against the loss of jobs in Johannesburg on Wednesday, when thousands of workers joined nation-wide demonstrations under the auspices of Cosatu to protest against high unemployment and government policies they say have failed to create jobs and are deepening poverty