The Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) in KZN has asked workers to down tools and join the National Day of Action strike on Thursday.

The federation will be striking to stop the attack on collective bargaining in all sectors, prevent crime and corruption, reduce high interest rates, stop job losses and privatisation, address the high unemployment rate and demand a speedy implementation of the Zondo Commission’s recommendations.

The strike will be held in all nine provinces with various activities taking place per province with the delivery of petitions to government establishments, private businesses including mining houses, municipal offices, the premiers’ offices, the SARB and Parliament, among others.

In KZN the strike will take place in the Durban CBD.

Provincial secretary

Provincial secretary of Cosatu Edwin Mkhize said workers should refrain from going to work next Thursday and join the strike.

He said those that cannot join the strike should stay at home instead. He added that the fast rising interest rates have made interest payments by workers unaffordable.

“The cost of living is high, it was ridiculous for the Reserve Bank to raise the repo rate because it has left workers to suffer, and some companies are threatening to shut down because of the energy crisis among other things.”

Cosatu affiliated trade unions have also started mobilising workers and communities across all provinces to participate in the strike.

Other Unions join

The National Union of Mineworkers, Democratic Nursing Organisation of South Africa (Denosa) and National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu) have joined the call for workers to go to the streets.

Denosa provincial chairperson Sibonelo Cele said the union supported the strike, however, only those who can take time off work should join the strike.

“We will be calling on all of our members who are available and off duty (considering that we are designated as essential service) to attend in numbers.”

Nehawu KZN secretary Ayanda Zulu said the union encouraged all workers to stop work and participate in the strike in numbers.

The South African National Taxi Council in KZN said taxis will be operational on the day of the strike.

#COSATU scheduled to embark on a National Day of Action on the 6th of July 2023 across all provinces in defense of #CollectiveBargaining & pushing back against the offensive towards workers #NoToHighInterestRates #NoToPrivatisation@jozifm@AlexFMRadio891 pic.twitter.com/GCsviJlOlV

— @COSATU Today (@_cosatu) July 2, 2023