'Ramaphosa will be the death of us,' say protesters as they threaten more action if demands are not addressed

Protesting workers have given the government 14 working days to address their demands around the economic and energy crises plaguing South Africans.

Protesters on Wednesday threatened further protests if nothing was done.

With some placards saying “Ramaphosa will be our death”, thousands of protesting workers, including the young and old, painted Pretoria red as they marched with their placards in the air from Burgers Park to the Union Buildings.

Some who said the “no work, no pay policy” applied at their workplaces said it was a sacrifice they were willing to make.

The workers said it did not make sense why the government was refusing to increase salaries for workers.

They are demanding, among others, the lowering of food, fuel and electricity prices, lower interest rates, salary increases for public servants and for Eskom not be privatised.

Sanoco Tshwane regional chairperson Abraham Mashishi said working people are suffering.

“Our brothers and sisters have stress because of nonpayment. If you are failing to address the issues of the working class forget about 2024,” he said.

Tinyiko Ntini,  central committee member of the SA Communist Party (SACP) said it can't be that when workers demand what is rightfully theirs, they are told there is no money. 

“It can't be that our own government that was elected by this red army and when they have to service us they run to court. As they are seated in government, they don't hesitate to give each other increases but is always difficult to give workers what is due,” said Ntini.

“We have seen the leadership that wants to sleep on duty, always they get to be shocked when things happen. This is no longer load-shedding, it is a continuous blackout and it cannot happen that we continue with that incompetent board in that entity. Instead of taking decisive actions, we want to create commissions of enquiry, we want to create other entities,” he said.

The deputy president of Cosatu, Mike Shingange, said they are fighting for a decent work rate. 

“We are drowning in debt. We are unable to even transport ourselves to work because the take-home pay at month end is not enough because of the skyrocketing petrol price which makes taxis unaffordable and buses not available.

“We are here to demand that there must be a fuel price cap to allow the working class to go to work and the unemployed working class to be able to transport themselves when they go look for work. You can't grow the economy by suffocating the working class for making a living for themselves,” he said.

Shingange said decisions taken in parliament must represent those who voted for the government. “We are saying to the president, it cannot be that you sleep when the masses are suffering,” he said.

Receiving the memorandum, minister in the presidency Mondli Gungubele assured workers that their demands will receive the attention required.

Gungubele, who signed the memorandum after it was read as protesters sang “to sign here is not a child's play”, further went on to show the protesters that he had placed his signature on the document.

He commended the workers for their peaceful conduct during the march.

However, this was short-lived as when in the process of addressing the media,  some disgruntled marchers disrupted Gungubele, accusing him of lying.

Gungubele said he acknowledges what the workers have said.

“The issues they are complaining about are not fabricated. We need to be partners in ensuring efficient government, the government that ensures that all programmes move,” he said. 

TimesLIVE

Support independent journalism by subscribing to the Sunday Times. Just R20 for the first month.