Thousands set to join strike today

Thousands of Port Elizabeth workers are expected to take to the streets today as part of a nationwide revolt against the proposed minimum wage.

SA Federation of Trade Unions (Saftu) general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi has threatened to bring employers and organisations which support the minimum wage, championed by President Cyril Ramaphosa, “to their knees” with the one-day strike.

While it is unclear how many workers will take part, Saftu is believed to have about 800 000 members nationally.

Its largest affiliate, metalworkers’ union Numsa, has more than 300 000 members.

The unions are demanding a living wage of at least R12 500 a month, while the proposed minimum wage is R3 500 a month, or R20 an hour.

In Port Elizabeth, Saftu members will march from the Nangoza Jebe Hall in New Brighton to Vuyisile Mini Square from 10am.

Vavi also rubbished a message circulated on social media warning people to stay indoors today, saying it did not come from Saftu and had been distributed with malicious intent. Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber chief executive Nomkhita Mona said the strike would have a huge negative impact on the city’s economy.

“All sectors will be affected, as the strike is not targeted at any industry in particular.

“The business chamber hopes the striking workers will exercise restraint and respect human lives and property,” Mona said.

Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality spokesman Mthubanzi Mniki said the metro police and other security and emergency services would be guided by the South African Police Service.

“This will be according to the information that the police have gathered and the risk analysis that has been made,” he said.
Mniki said municipal officials would not take part in the strike.

This was confirmed by SA Municipal Workers’ Union spokesman Papikie Mohale, who said: “Work will continue as normal.”

Volkswagen Group SA spokesman Matt Gennrich said even though Numsa had advised the Uitenhage company of its participation in the strike, the company would continue with production.

“Employees have the right to participate in the strike, which is taking place on a no-work no-pay basis,” he said. Isuzu spokeswoman Gishma Johnson said the company was unable to say what impact the strike would have on the company.

Yesterday, more than 100 disgruntled guards from a number of private security companies said they would be joining the march today.

The security staff, who are members of various unions, marched along Strand Street to City Hall yesterday, where they handed over petitions to representatives of the metro, the Department of Higher Education and Transnet.

The members, who came together as the Forum of Security Officers and Cleaners, demanded insourcing and better wages.

Forum chairman Khayalethu Sonkwala said the guards were stationed at government sites including hospitals and colleges, but were underpaid by the private companies that employed them.

“The only thing we want is for the government to insource us,” Sonkwala said.

“We’re being exploited – some of us are paid R3 500 when the companies receive R25 000 per guard [from the government].

“That is too little, it can’t sustain us for a month.”

The forum gave the stakeholders 14 days to respond to its demands.