We will continue to talk to the Presidency and Treasury but the battle continues

We will listen and talk but our campaign will not stop while the Tax Amendment law is still in place

The Congress of South African Trade Unions has noted and welcomes the decision by South African president , Mr Jacob Zuma to appoint the Minister in the Presidency, Mr Jeff Radebe ,to help COSATU and national Treasury, to find a solution to the current impasse over to the passing of the Taxation Law Amendment Act. We are acknowledge and appreciate the intervention by the President and we will continue to constructively engage with everyone to seek and hopefully find a solution.

Whilst we are prepared to engage in talks, we will also continue the mobilization of our members and will also rollout and intensify our campaign against this law.

The recently held SCEC was very emphatic and clear that COSATU should defend its resolution. We will not rely on the goodwill and the benevolence of government, especially considering the trust deficit that has developed between us and government. We will sit in the boardroom to try and find a solution but will also fight in the streets to demand the scrapping of this law. The campaign will only stop once the solution is found and this law is totally scrapped.

The federation reiterates its call for the workers not to resign but to organize and fight. By resigning they risk falling in the hands of unctuous consultants , who will offer to help them invest their savings , while charging exorbitant fees. They will also lose their livelihoods and income or fall victims to rapacious labour brokers, who will re-employ them with no benefits and pay them slave wages.

Statement issued by Sizwe Pamla, COSATU National Spokesperson, 5 February 2016