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Cosatu Secretary General Bheki Ntshalintshali said that while the action planned for Wednesday would not affect the economy as deeply as it normally would due to the COVID-19 pandemic, members had no choice but to retire their jobs.
FILE: Secretary General of Cosatu, Bheki Ntshalintshali. Image: EWN
JOHANNESBURG – As the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) prepares to lead protests against corruption and other issues across the country this week, its leaders have rejected suggestions that the action will be detrimental to the economy.
Between April and June, 2.2 million South Africans lost their jobs, while the economy registered a massive decline in the same period.
On Wednesday, Cosatu and other federations and unions embarked on a strike against corruption and the government’s inability to increase the salaries of public servants during the year.
Talking to Eyewitness news In a comprehensive interview, Cosatu’s general secretary, Bheki Ntshalintshali, said that the economy was already on its knees and that a one-day strike will not hurt it further.
“The people we talk to seem not to be listening,” Ntshalintshali said.
LOOK: Why Cosatu is protesting during COVID-19
A stone-faced Ntshalintshali, with a clenched hand to emphasize this point, explained that while Cosatu’s action would not affect the economy as deeply as it normally would due to the COVID-19 pandemic, members had no choice but to withdraw. his work.
He said that despite many discussions, the government seemed unable to lift the country out of the crisis that had affected the quality of life of many citizens.
“On these issues, and unless we do something, (the economy) is going to disappear anyway and it is better to raise awareness now before we lose everything. Corruption is now like cancer, it has gone to a stage where, unless something is done, unless the limb that has that particular disease is cut off, we will lose our whole body, “he said.
LOOK: Cosatu: We also question our support for the ANC
‘THE PRESIDENT MUST PUT SOUTH AFRICA FIRST’
The labor federation has challenged President Cyril Ramaphosa to stop fearing shaking the tables within the ANC and put the interests of the South Africans whom he promised to serve first in lifting the country out of its multiple crises.
The federation has been criticizing Ramaphosa and his administration for months as the economy continues to plummet and corruption thrives under its watch.
The action planned for Wednesday will be his first national strike against the Ramaphosa-led government.
Ntshalintshali said they were perplexed by how Ramaphosa did not use his power to fire ineffective ministers and other government leaders who were not committed to serving the nation.
He recalled one particular meeting at the National Council for Economic Development and Labor where Ramaphosa told them he was equally frustrated when workers shared their problem with his cabinet and the failure of the business sector to implement the resolutions taken at the Employment Summit two years ago. .
“We need to go to the president and tell him that if you have trouble being your own organization where you think you are powerless, remember the other 11 million South Africans who are not ANC members who you took an oath promising to serve, serve them, and if they will take out, so be it. But you cannot be complicit because your organization and the people are not willing to do something, and that is where we are, ”said Ntshalintshali.
LOOK: Cosatu: Ramaphosa making the right noise, but the soldiers are not gathering behind him
Despite the overwhelming support and public trust the president enjoyed when he took office, more and more South Africans and organizations have objected to his not firing people who are inept in his administration and suspected of corruption.
Cosatu said he was concerned that while people linked to major corruption deals in the state were being arrested, it could take a while before someone is sent to jail.
Numerous business and political leaders were arrested by the Hawks last week following investigations after they were implicated in evidence presented to the state apprehension commission.
However, Ntshalintshali said they were concerned about the National Prosecutor’s Office’s ability to handle cases with the speed necessary to send the right message to criminals.
“Our opinion is that they must move quickly so that when they arrest, so that when they arrest, they are
ready to process, ”he said.
LOOK: Cosatu: SA could become a mafia state if nothing is done
‘FAILED STATE MOVING UP’
Political experts and various international reports have sounded the alarm about the accelerating decline of the economy and the state’s inability to perform some of its critical functions, with some projecting that the country will be a failed state by 2030.
Ntshalintshali said Eyewitness news that while there was still much to do to save the government and create jobs, the country was approaching a failed state.
The term refers to a state that ceases to perform its functions, cannot control its national borders, and is made up of weak and faulty institutions.
Ntshalintshali explained that a change in trajectory by the government could save the day.
“We are not there yet, a lot of fundamental things are in place to address those particular problems. Sometimes we make the right decisions and don’t implement them, and sometimes there are ministers working in isolation.
When we fail, we fail in a way that will be a total failure, ”he said.
Last month, Cosatu described the Ramaphosa administration as weak and dysfunctional.
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