Resolute Municipal Workers mobilise towards COSATU march and wage negotiations
The South African Municipal Workers Union, SAMWU, has already begun mobilising Municipal Workers to partake in what is likely to be the biggest mass protest the country has seen in a decade or more - we vow to have every Municipal Worker out and participating in the nationwide strike against labour brokers and e-Tolling, which would take place 7th March.
Fellow South Africans from all walks of life are encouraged to participate in the mass awakening that would unite the working class under one banner. We must force the Government and the ruling party the African National Congress to scrap the exorbitant e-Tolling system and ban modern day slavery (labour broking).
This protest action will set a precedent, in terms of mass action. The working class and poor of this country will no longer sit back and be taken for granted.
Apart from scrapping the Toll road projects, Government must investigate as to who was responsible for steam-rolling these projects past all the relevant processes. This for us is highly suspicious, given the amounts of money involved in the various Toll road projects.
The Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project, the Wild Coast and the Cape Winelands Toll Highway Project were all done without proper consultation with stakeholders and the public.
Drastic changes are required, to ensure that the working class and poor have jobs, food and are dug out of the trenches of poverty and inequality. The current system and climate that we find ourselves in is certainly not conducive to the majority.
SAMWU is still fighting labour broking in some Municipalities. The Unions struggle for a living wage is set to continue this year as well. We are busy formulating our demands. We will not back down easily, workers deserve nothing less than an environment free of labour brokers, exorbitant charges in the form of e-Tolls and a decent living wage.
Statement issued by Tahir Sema, SAMWU spokesperson, February 8 2012
Click here to sign up to receive our free daily headline email newsletter
