The Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) is planning a massive nationwide strike on Friday in a fight to make public transport accessible to all‚ said the federation’s president Sdumo Dlamini.
Dlamini said this in his opening remarks on Wednesday at the 7th World Federation of Trade Union Congress at the Durban International Convention Centre.
The strike is also in protest against unemployment and related socio-economic conditions in commemoration of the International Decent Work Day.
Dlamini told delegates at the gathering that the country's transport system was expensive for the ordinary worker.
“We are fighting for the accessibility of public transport‚ cheap public transport for the ordinary worker. I hope you join us this Friday for that‚” said Dlamini.
Dlamini also lambasted Shoprite Group boss Whitey Basson in front of the world’s unions for pocketing a salary of more than R100-million this year.
“The average worker at Shoprite Checkers earns 149 times less than that‚” said Dlamini.
It was reported on Tuesday that Basson took home a little more than R100-million in the year to June 30‚ 2016 — double his earnings in 2015 — after delivering what the group called excellent results during the period.
The group’s annual integrated financial report showed that Basson took home R49.7-million in basic pay and was awarded a one-off discretionary cash bonus‚ adding another R50-million.
Shoprite’s remuneration committee said it took into consideration the fact that Basson had not claimed any increases in three years.
He had not received any short-term incentive payments nor had he received benefits from any long-term incentive plans in the past five years‚ the committee said.
It had also factored in Basson’s length of service to the company - about 45 years - and the results the group had achieved in the 2016 financial year “during very challenging economic circumstances”.
– TMG Digital/The Times
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