Cosatu’s Workers’ Day celebrations in Rustenburg delayed

Cosatu in the North West has apologised for delays of its main May Day celebrations at the Royal Bafokeng stadium in Rustenburg.

The labour union federation’s celebrations have not yet started although ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa has already arrived at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium in Rustenburg where he’s expected to deliver the main address.

The celebrations were were scheduled to start at nine o’clock this morning but they have been delayed as there only a few workers in the stadium.

The labour federation has apologised for the delay of the event at which Cosatu President Zingiswa Losi and SACP General-Secretary Doctor Blade Nzimande are also scheduled to speak.

Cosatu Provincial Secretary Kopano Konopi says the delay of the buses has in turn delayed the start of the celebrations.

Workers’ Day | Workers express views ahead of Ramaphosa’s address at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium:

Ramaphosa is expected to allay workers’ fears that unemployment in the country will continue to escalate when he delivers the main address.

Nzimade, speaking to SABC News in Rustenburg, says, the most urgent task facing the workers today is for them to unite.

Meanwhile, Cosatu, in the Western Cape has lamented the fact that many workers have not been given salary increases for a number of years.  

Cosatu started its Workers’ Day celebrations with a march to the Langa Police Station where they also highlighted increasing cases of gender-based violence in the country.  

The labour federation’s provincial secretary, Malvern de Bruyn, says, “We are still not happy with some of the issues when it comes to labour in this country. There were major achievements by government with the national minimum wage and other labour laws that have been passed, so at least worker’s rights are protected. But we are still unhappy about the attack on collective bargaining and there we must blame our own national government for attacking our people when it comes to salary increases. They can’t expect workers to work year in and year out and you don’t give them an increase. That’s really a sad state of affairs.” 

Workers’ Day | Over 70% of workers in South Africa don’t belong to any trade unions: