The Food and Allied Workers’ Union (Fawu) wants an immediate halt of chicken imports and scrapping of the sugar tax.
The union says chicken imports and sugar taxes are leading to thousands of job losses. Fawu claims up to 8000 jobs will be lost as a result of the sugar tax and a further five thousand jobs have been lost as a result of cheap chicken imports.
“The chicken that come in to the country may not undergo the scrutiny of health authorities. They may be unhealthy and we think that our government department responsible must take more action. We’ve what we call illegally dumped chicken that must be closed from reaching our shores,” says Fawu’s General Secretary, Katishi Masemola.
Fawu also wants President Cyril Ramaphosa to intervene.
“The excitement that President Ramaphosa seems to have will allow him to give us an audience so that we are able to raise our concerns and if he doesn’t do so that Ramaphoria will become Ramaphobia,” says Masemola.
Parliament says it will process the concerns.
Fawu has also made it clear that it also wants liquor and tobacco laws reviewed.
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