'We'll bring SA to a halt': Vavi
South Africans should brace themselves for the biggest strike yet, Cosatu general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi said.
The economy will grind to a standstill in two months' time during a protest against labour brokering, he said.
Speaking at a march in Durban by the National Union of Metalworkers of SA, the Chemical, Energy, Paper, Printing, Wood and Allied Workers Union of SA, the General Industries Workers Union of SA, and Nehawu, Vavi said the planned protest against brokering was expected to be "even bigger" than last year's public-sector strike.
"You've seen nothing yet. More is still coming. Actually, it will be the biggest strike ever in the country.
"We will bring South Africa to a halt. Those who are complaining [now] have seen nothing yet ."
Vavi said his union federation was demanding that labour brokers be banned.
"We will be more militant. We can't fight for freedom only to see capitalists benefiting. In this country, workers' issues are not prioritised and it's time we put a stop to that.
"Come September or October, we want a complete ban on labour brokers or the country will be grounded."
Vavi said 36.6% of South Africans could not find jobs and 73.3% of unemployed people were aged below 35.
"It's the biggest crisis and biggest problem."
Inequality was growing unacceptably, he said.
"Today, South Africa has surpassed Brazil, which used to be the leading country in the whole world when it came to inequality. Our struggle was not for this but for economic freedom."
It was a disgrace that 58% of black South Africans lived on less than R325 a month.
"The struggle for a living wage is far from over. We will extend the winter to October for employers unless they listen to us.
"If they think we will be tired of striking within a week, they are making the biggest mistakes of their lives," he warned.
More than 15.5% of all workers earned less than R500 month, 34.3% earned less than R1000 and 60% earned about R2500.
"Yet directors of the top 20 companies on the JSE earn R59-million a year, which means they earn 1723 times the salary of a worker."
Join the discussion & Debate
'We'll bring SA to a halt': Vavi
For Commenters Consideration | Please stick to the subject matterCOMMENTS [28]
gale
Posted 318 days agoAWA
These are the same management who had their vehicles smashed by strikers.
MsLee
Pharoisback
Of course, they will never see their actions are the cause until the whole thing is completely broken
tshwanekid
I'm no legal eagle but is't it illegal to black-mail someone, this is what the trade unions are doing, black-mailing their employers. And by the way, is't it treason to want to harm your country, what 'Mr' Vavi is doing is treasonous, he should be prosecuted. Can't they see that what they are doing is going to increase unemployment. The mind boggles........I rest my case!
gale
Posted 318 days agoaugustrain
Posted 318 days agoThe the poor always pay the most for the unions stupidity.
Vavi unless you are leading a total revolution shut up.
Every year UNIONS bring the country to a "standstill" so what?
Every year it costs the workers in lost pay.
Every year the government elite get fatter.
MrMarket
Posted 318 days agoAWA
Posted 318 days agoThey have no idea how powerful those business owners are whom they abuse.
I remember the years my father fought with labour about their pay during the harvesting season, even though he paid better than anyone else in the area. One year they went on strike and refused to work. He had to pay them double. They thought they had him then. The very next year 1 month before the season they started to ask what the pay was going to be. My father said he would let them know. The next week a machine was delivered to do the job. That was the last time he ever gave them a job again.
South Africa is turning into a country where employers resent having to employ unskilled or low skilled labour. Nobody has the attitude of creating employment opportunities.
MrMarket
Posted 318 days agoSarak
MsLee
pws80
Posted 318 days agoBut Vavi exhorted people to vote ANC.
Vavi - dumber than mud, and more dishonest than Fana Hlongwane.
MrMarket
Posted 318 days agoAll 100 000 shoes were for the LEFT foot ONLY.
Xen_swimwearBikini_Swimsuits
Selftaught
Posted 318 days agoMsLee
Posted 318 days agoMr Vavi says 58% of black people live on R325 a month. What is his source? We know the problem of poverty in our country is a scourge, but the percentage quoted keeps getting larger and the income level keeps getting lower. The best estimates I've been able to find (SANGONET/UNITED NATIONS) show that about 40% - 45% of the country's people (mainly black, but including members of other race groups too) live on around $2 a day.
While this is shocking by anyone's standards - and has to be addressed as a matter of extreme urgency, both as a social and political issue - neither Cosatu nor the ANC has made any mention of the way in which the mismanagement of public funds at all levels of government is contributing to this scenario. Nor have they mentioned the fact that inefficiency at state utilties like Eskom is the primary cause of inflation which, in turn, is behind the sharply rising cost of living. And how about the way in which tenderpreneurs are benefitting from state contracts to the overall detriment of the poor?
If we're going to look at this issue, let's look it squarely in the eye ...
ColinMurray
Posted 318 days agosancy4
Posted 318 days agoBaas_Frik
Posted 317 days agoVUKUZENZELE
Posted 317 days agoThje Unions are the MAIN and GREATEST CAUSE of South Africa
VUKUZENZELE
Posted 317 days agoThe Unions are the MAIN and GREATEST CAUSE of South Africa`s unemployment and VAVI and his Cronies must be brought before Justice for ECONOMIC SABOTAGE and keeping the masses out of work. Zuma and his cronies are to scared to do something about it not realizing that the Unions and there members are only about 5 or 6% of ANC Membership which is surely not a threat to the ANC`s future existence,but this situation is of course VERY GOOD NEWS for the DA and other opposition party`s as those masses will surely walk over to the DA when they wake up to the FACT that the ANC,Unions and employed workers are keeping the POOR where they are.THE BIG WHEEL TURNS,SLOWLY BUT SURELY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
JFish
Posted 317 days agoMo.Ja.Ra
More simpler(or mathematical):
Out of all workers(100%), 60% earns less than R2500, and of this 60%, (34.8/60x100=)58% earns less than R1000 and (15.5/60x100=)25.83% earns less than R500.
Which means the 0.1% you are asking about will fall in the remaining (100-60=)40%
Hope I helped with your confusion
SGTSA
Posted 317 days agoSGTSA
Posted 317 days agoMaleLeo
Posted 316 days agoVavi is doing a fantastic job of turning this country into Zimbabwe with the help from JUJU everything is going according to plan..
MaleLeo
Posted 316 days agoToday most jobs are done by automatic machinery controlled by just one operator and he or she is paid double. This system will sort out Vavi's problem here when most large companies take this route......it will end corruption and all