Cosatu’s actions over public service wages issue borders on sedition

Cosatu today showed with its strike, in which eleven thousand people participated in Pretoria, that it is serious about its threat to force South Africa to its knees if its demand for a 10% wage increase is not met, Adv. Anton Alberts, the FF Plus’ parliamentary spokesperson on the economy says.

Cosatu is threatening to start with a nationwide strike in a week’s time which will totally paralyse schools, hospitals and other public services.

Adv. Alberts says the state, for a variety of reasons such as mismanagement, corruption, a huge social grants bill and exorbitant public service salary expenses does not have the necessary fiscal room to manoeuvre and give in to demands for high increases.

“While the country is stuck with huge problems such as Eskom and an economy which is following a snail’s pace precisely due to labour action, Cosatu is still insisting on these exorbitant demands and it is so aggressive about it that the union is prepared to force the country to its knees.

“This action is extremely risky and borders on sedition which undermines the state and puts the stability of the country as a whole in jeopardy.

“The worse the economy will inevitably be faring as a result of such actions, the less money the state will have available for future adjustments.

“That is why it is clear that Cosatu is selfish and is just seeing to the interests of workers at the expense of the whole economy and all unemployed people in the country,” Adv. Alberts says.

Statement issued by Adv. Anton Alberts, FF Plus parliamentary spokesperson: Economy, April 24 2015