COSATU commemorates Workers Day 2024 in Athlone
The Minister of Employment and Labour, Thulas Nxesi, says International Workers’ Day or May Day, symbolises the fight against fair employment in South Africa.
May 1 pays tribute to the historical struggles of workers
and their trade unions for solidarity and fair employment standards. This year,
the theme for Workers’ Day and month is “30 Years of Freedom”.
On this day, in December 1985, saw the formation of the
Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu). The trade federation demanded that
May Day to be recognised as a public holiday and renamed Workers’ Day was
heeded by approximately 1.5 million workers. They were joined by thousands of
school pupils, students, taxi drivers, hawkers, shopkeepers, domestic workers,
and self-employed, and unemployed people. Despite many of these rallies being
banned in advance by the Apartheid Government, they were held across the
country, with the majority in the Pretoria-Witwatersrand-Vereeniging area, now
known as Gauteng. Since the inaugural democratic elections in 1994, Workers’
Day has been officially acknowledged and commemorated in South Africa. This
holiday serves dual purposes: it is a celebration of workers’ rights and a
poignant reminder of the pivotal role that trade unions, the Communist Party,
and other labour organizations played in the struggle against Apartheid.
Nxesi called on South Africans to pay tribute to all the
workers of South Africa, especially the frontline workers who continue to
provide essential services even on this holiday.
‘’This includes doctors, nurses, other medical staff,
members of the Police Services and the SA National Defence Force, as well as
workers who provide other essential services, such as our farmers and farm
workers, supermarket and chemist staff, staff of security companies, and all
other workers who provide essential services during this time. We honour and
salute you, our unsung heroes – the workers of South Africa! Your contributions
are the backbone of our nation, and today, we celebrate you,’’ said Thulas
Nxesi, Minister of Employment and Labour.
[Watch] #WorkersDay message from the Minister of Employment and Labour @NxesiThulas #workersday2024 #WorkersMonth pic.twitter.com/wqGZGJQ2ab
— Department of Employment and Labour (@deptoflabour) May 1, 2024
COSATU are leading National May Day celebrations at the
Athlone Stadium. President Cyril Ramaphosa and COSATU President Zingiswa Losi
will deliver the keynote address. Alliance partners – African National Congress,
the South African Communist Party General Secretary Solly Mapaila and the South
African National Civic Association President Richard Mkhungo, will deliver
solidarity messages.
The International Worker's Day Celebrations are anchored
under the Theme: "Building a strong and united COSATU in Mobilizing for
the ANC electoral victory".
‘’It is a moment for workers and COSATU to put pressure on
the state and employers to do more to pay workers a living wage, tackle
unemployment, grow the economy and invest in public services. As we head
towards the final stretch to the May 29th general elections, it is a rallying
point to mobilize workers to come out in the millions on election day and
return the ANC to office to continue our efforts to build a better life for
all,’’ said Matthew Parks, Acting National Spokesperson & Parliamentary
Coordinator.
The trade federation along with its alliances also led a march in the area in solidarity with Palestine.
COURTESY - X: @MKhalidSayedMeanwhile, the South African Democratic Teachers Union (SADTU)
says the country made great strides with employment, but says workers are still
faced with unfavourable working conditions.
‘’Whilst we commend the gains achieved for workers through
various legislations, they are still subjected to unfavourable working
conditions, low wages, casualisation and retrenchments. Employers are at times,
deliberately ignoring legislation and undermine the gains workers have made,’’
said Mugwena Maluleke, SADTU General Secretary.
‘’As we celebrate this day, we are painfully aware of the
millions of unemployed workers and the numbers continue to rise. In the basic
education sector, we have thousands of vacant posts that have not been filled
due to budget cuts. Teachers suffer the consequences of budget cuts as they
teach overcrowded classrooms while unemployed teacher graduates languish at
home. We want to see an end to austerity measures as they exacerbate
unemployment levels,’’ he added.
Done By: Mitchum George
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