COSATU condemns the Johannesburg mayor for treating workers with disdain

COSATU in Gauteng supports the hundreds of workers, who marched to the City of Johannesburg to defend their jobs ,as a result of the decision by the mayor Herman Mashaba to discontinue the Jozi@Work program. We are worried about the posture taken by the City to reverse all progressive interventions ,which are directed to the poor of the poorest.

The attitude of the DA/EFF coalition towards workers in the City will not go unchallenged. It is wrong to destroy 8000 jobs in the City for political point scoring reasons,  during this difficult economic crisis. The arrogance by the mayor forced the peaceful protesters to storm the council chambers. Though we are not agreeing with the destruction of property but equally it is distasteful of the mayor to blame others for his mistakes.

We appreciate the intervention Premier David Makhura through the State of the Province Address that Jozi@Work will be replaced by Gauteng@Work. We hope that this project will absorb all workers who are rejected by Herman Mashaba. COSATU in Gauteng will not stand idle whilst a party that represent white monopoly capital is destroying the future of the working class and the poor.

Statement issued by COSATU, 24 February 2017