State-capture march 'will shut down SA'

Activities at schools, municipalities and mines are expected to be disrupted on Wednesday as Cosatu affiliates strike and march against state capture and corruption.

The disruption is aimed at making the ANC deal with workers' concerns about the looting of state coffers.

The labour federation will be holding another protest march next month over job losses that are a result of state capture.

Cosatu supporters will march on city halls, banks, the Chamber of Mines, Eskom and the offices of the SA Local Government Association.

Cosatu spokesman Sizwe Pamla said: "Our member unions are ensuring that teachers, nurses, miners and municipal workers will down tools.

There will be a total shutdown of schools and municipalities."

He said the federation had appealed to workers who were not Cosatu members to join in.

"Corruption affects not only Cosatu members. Every South African is affected by state capture.

"Once President Jacob Zuma goes, all South Africans will be left with footing the hefty corruption bill he will leave behind. It will be up to us to pick up the pieces once it implodes."

Pamla said the time when Zuma could be asked to intervene in corruption had ended.

"The corrupt are now in Zuma's camp. South Africa has arrived at the point at which the president can no longer be called on to help."

He said many in the private sector could not be called on to intervene "as they too are involved in state capture".

SA Democratic Teachers' Union secretary-general Mugwena Maluleka said all schools would close: "This is about fighting for their childrens' future."