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Fin24 reports that SA Federation of Trade Unions (Saftu) secretary-general Zwelinzima Vavi has acknowledged that Wednesday's national shutdown demonstrations will not draw numbers onto the streets remotely close to the mass protests in 2018.
However, he said Saftu and other labour formations expected the mass action to shut the economy down if workers around the country agreed to withdraw their labour and stay home. "We are not emphasising the numbers of people. In fact, we will not see anything close to what we saw in 2018 because there are no trains in Johannesburg and Cape Town. Taxis can support us, but they only take a handful at a time. We are emphasising the need for workers to stay at home," said Vavi. Saftu is one of many organisations planning demonstrations against the rising cost of living set for Wednesday. Demands include a R1,500 basic income grant, the de-escalation of the interest rates, fuel, electricity, and food costs, an end to the privatisation of government institutions, as well as an end to wage cuts and below-inflation wage increases in the private and public sector. Cosatu has also planned a national shutdown for Wednesday. The two federations have agreed to cooperate in demonstrations. Vavi said the national shutdown enjoyed the support of over 200 organisations along with left-leaning parties including the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), the Pan Africanist Congress (PAC) and the Workers and Socialist Party (WASP). Demonstrations on Wednesday will include a march to the Union Buildings in Pretoria, a march to the Parliament in the Western Cape, a march to the Free State Premier's office in Mangaung, and a march to Eskom Park in Witbank, Mpumalanga.
- Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Khulekani Magubane at Fin24
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