In honour of the World Day for Decent Work, the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) will stage a nationwide protest on Monday to address rising unemployment.
The union says the strike is meant to draw attention to South Africa’s economic challenges, including inequality, poverty, and the lack of jobs.
Speaking on SA FM, Cosatu spokesperson Zanele Sabela explained: “It’s not just about jobs, but also that the jobs people have aren’t decent.
“We’ve seen how inspectors from the Department of Employment and Labour found workers hiding in restaurant ceilings, and a young woman on TikTok spoke about how badly she and her co-workers were treated.”
The protests will be held in major cities across the country. These cities include Cape Town, Sandton, Polokwane, Komatipoort, Sasolburg, Durban, Kimberley, Rustenburg and East London.
Sabela added that while 11.3 million South Africans need jobs, retrenchments are continuing to worsen the crisis.
The latest Stats SA report shows the unemployment rate increased to 33.5% in the second quarter of 2024, up from 32.9% in the first quarter and 32.1% in the previous one.
By Staff Writer
Pictured above: Cosatu members embarking on a strike.
Source: X
