Johannesburg – The South African Federation of Trade Unions’ (Saftu) national shutdown is set to go ahead on Wednesday, August 24, 2022 in six provinces where Saftu and its allies will strike to “defend and advance the socio-economic interests of workers and the working class at large”.
Limpopo, Gauteng, Mpumalanga, Eastern Cape, Western Cape and the Free State are among the provinces where protests are expected to take place.
While other provinces such as KwaZulu-Natal have not yet answered to the call for a stayaway, general strike and national shutdown.
The national strike came as a result of a Saftu national executive committee (NEC) meeting held last month, and the unanimous decision of a national strike was taken.
Saftu and 200 working-class formations and pro-worker NGOs as well as political parties such as the EFF, Pan Africanist Congress of Azania, Azanian People’s Organisation, Workers and Socialist Party and others have endorsed and committed to joining the strike.
The strike will address the steep increases to the cost of a standard basic food basket; electricity tariffs; petrol and transport costs; interest rates; and financial liabilities
Details of the national protest were shared as follows:
Here are the places of assembly, and destinations of the marches in different provinces:
∎ Limpopo: The march is taking place in Polokwane. People will assemble at SABC Park in Polokwane at 8am, and start marching to the Office of the Premier from 10am.
∎ Mpumalanga: The march is taking place in Witbank. Marchers will assemble at Broadway in Emalahleni at 9am, and start marching to Eskom Park from 10am.
∎ Gauteng: The march is taking place in Pretoria. The assembly point is at Burgers Park in Pretoria at 6am to start marching to the Union Buildings from 10am.
∎ Free State: The march is taking place in Bloemfontein. People will assemble from 7am at Batho Location Hall in Mangaung, and start marching to the Office of the Premier (OR Tambo Building) at 10am.
∎ Eastern Cape: The march is taking place in Bisho. The assembly point is at the at Fort Hare Grounds at 8am to start marching to the Bisho Legislature at 10am.
∎ Western Cape: The march is taking place in Cape Town. People will assemble at Keizersgracht in Cape Town at 8am, and start marching to the City of Cape Town, the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy, as well as the Western Cape Legislature and Parliament from 10am.
“Small black business including the taxi associations and truck owners and drivers are all set to join the marches,” said Saftu general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi.
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