The Public Servants Association (PSA) will no longer be kicking up a fuss at Saturday’s Vodacom Durban July.
The trade union has called off its planned protest at the event following some assurances from organisers.
The PSA had demanded that horses linked to disgraced former Steinhoff International Holdings CEO Markus Jooste not be allowed to race.
The union had threatened that it would call on some of its 240,000 members to demonstrate on Saturday, ensuring chaos as celebrities sashay about.
The Durban July is described as “Africa’s greatest horse racing event” and is a premier gathering space for not only celebs, but for racehorse bosses and enthusiasts.
PSA general manager Ivan Fredericks said the demonstrations had been called off.
He said main sponsor Vodacom, as well as the regulating body National Horseracing Authority (NHRA), had given assurances that Jooste’s horses would not take part in the event.
The PSA claims Jooste had an instrumental hand in what was dubbed as “accounting irregularities” at Steinhoff Holding which lost billions of public servants’ pensions invested through the Public Investment Corporation (PIC) on behalf of the Government Employees’ Pension Fund (GEPF).
“The PSA has a responsibility to its members and the nation to use whatever means legally to recoup the losses and more so, to play a bigger part in rooting out corruption and maladministration which enrich the elite, while the hardworking public servants and the poor continue to suffer,” Fredericks said.
“People need to understand that Jooste cannot be allowed to continue making millions while his actions have had a devastating effect on thousands of people’s pension investments.”