The South African Federation of Trade Unions (Saftu) and the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) will march to the Gauteng Legislature in Johannesburg this week against the R 20 an hour minimum wage which they’ve described as a joke.
Government, labour and business agreed at the National Economic Development and Labour Council (Nedlac) to introduce a R20 per hour minimum wage which will come into effect in May 2018.
Saftu and Numsa say they will use the Human Rights Day on Wednesday to remind government that workers’ rights are also human rights.
Numsa’s Phakamile Hlubi-Majola says the national minimum wage will keep millions of workers trapped in poverty.
“R20 per hour is a benchmark for low wages in this country. There is no way that it can be fair for members of the working class to earn R20 per hour when CEOs are earning an access of 69 000 a day. The goal of this national minimum wage is supposed to tackle inequality, poverty and unemployment.”
“Now if you are earning R20 an hour and your hours are restricted to four hours a day, how does that tackle inequality, poverty and unemployment when you have to use your income to support more than four dependants,” adds Hlubi-Majola.
Join us as we defend the right to strike on Wednesday Human Rights Day, 21 March.#WorkersRightsAreHumanRights pic.twitter.com/b5HZhIXgcb
— NUMSA (@Numsa_Media) March 18, 2018
