eNCA reports that Irvin Jim, general secretary of the National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa), used Monday's May Day rally to pay tribute to the country's miners. Numsa joined forces with the newly formed SA Federation of Trade Unions (Saftu) to mark this year's Workers' Day in Durban.
Following Jim's address, Saftu's general secretary, Zwelinzima Vavi, addressed the crowd and did not waste any time talking about the events in Bloemfontein where rival federation Cosatu had to call off its May Day rally after President Jacob Zuma was incessantly heckled and booed by some members. "I've been told that the so-called workers rally that Cosatu was trying to have in Bloemfontein collapsed without a single person having any speech or making anything… Let me tell you why we must clap hands for the collapse of that alliance that's not in the interest of the working people," Vavi said.
- Read this report and hear Vavi's full speech at eNCA
- See too, Saftu holds first May Day event in Durban, at SABC News
- And also, Saftu calls for worker unity, at SABC News
- As well as, Saftu is your only hope, Numsa tells workers, at EWN
Get other news reports at the SA Labour News home page