EFF COMMENDS SAFTU FOR RESOLVING TO FORM PART OF THE NATIONAL SHUTDOWN ON THE 20th OF MARCH 2023
Thursday, 02 March 2023
The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) commends the South African Federation Of Trade Unions (SAFTU) for its decisive resolution to form part of the National Shutdown on the 20th of March 2023. SAFTU, which boasts a membership of over 700 000, led by 20 affiliate unions is amongst the strongest federations of organised labour in South Africa.
The decision of SAFTU to form part of the National Shutdown is both principled and represents a long-overdue working class solidarity of the left in South Africa. The energy crisis and the continued mis-leadership of Cyril Ramaphosa has had a devastating effect on both labour and businesses.
Thousands of black-owned business, which employ our people are unable to manage the costs of maintaining their businesses and remunerating their employees, all while catering for the added costs of purchasing diesel for generators.
The South African Post Office (SAPO) has collapsed and intends to retrench 6000 workers, a naïve and destructive move which will not rescue the entity. Black professionals have been purged at ESKOM, and there is a looming jobs bloodbath in the coal sector due to the corrupt deals made with the West by Ramaphosa to shut down coal power stations, in favour of a non-existent Just-Transition to renewable energy.
DENEL has been unable to pay salaries of workers for months, while the railway sector which provides a cheap mode of transportation for workers has been destroyed.
Salaries in the public sector have remained stagnant, while the cost of living continues to rise, with constant increases in the repo-rate, fuel prices and inflation. The working class is being suffocated, and only exists as objects who are exploited for their labour, while they cannot afford what they produce.
The decision by SAFTU to from part of a national mass action demanding electricity and the resignation of Cyril Ramaphosa is therefore in the interests of all workers.
The EFF calls on all other labour formations, political formations, civil society and ordinary people to join the National Shutdown.
We can only rescue our country from complete collapse on the picket lines. Ramaphosa Must Resign Now!
Statement issued by the EFF, 2 March 2023
