Cosatu and Santaco Deny Involvement in National Shutdown Over Rising Fuel Prices, SA Angered Over Response

• The Congress of the South African Trade Unions and South African National Taxi Council are not part of a planned national shutdown
• The national shutdown was supposedly planned in response to the rising fuel hikes the country is facing
• Earlier, Briefly News reported political parties were not taking the fuel price increase laying down and planned to protest it

JOHANNESBURG - Despite claims that a national shutdown has been planned for Friday 10 June, the Congress of the South African Trade Unions and South African National Taxi Council say they are not involved.

Santaco was believed to have been lobbying trade unions such as Cosatu to join the national shutdown, however, it denies any involvement. The shutdown was in response to the rising fuel hikes the country is facing.

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The taxi association believes that government intervention is needed urgently. Santaco's Graham Fritz told Eyewitness News that government can maybe have a look at bringing down the fuel price, which is uneconomical for the country. He added that the passengers are going to have to bite the bullet.

Meanwhile, the Leader of Coastu KwaZulu-Natal Edwin Mkhize said the union took a resolution to have a joint meeting with the taxi industry to discuss a formal approach to the strike. Speaking to News24, Mkhize said that a joint meeting with Santaco will be held on Friday 17 June to reach a decision around the discomfort about the fuel increase.

SA angered over the union’s disinterest

South Africans believe that the country needs to be united against the fuel increase:

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Mzoxolo Sabe Jola said:

“That is why as Africans we will always be defeated because we are never united. We always pull in different directions. The enemy will always rejoice in victory because we are never united.”

Tasha Tasha commented:

“Santaco doesn’t care because they’ve increased prices to them everything is still fine. Only we the commuters are struggling here!”

Mqinisi Bhakajuju Dube posted:

“Cosatu has been selling workers for self-enrichment, what can you expect from them.”

Vuyolwethu Ntoza said:

“They are subsidised by the government and also they are alliance partners so why they must even think of doing that.”

Matthew Milne wrote:

“I think the whole country should protest. With the amount of tax being put on our fuel prices. Maybe the government will think again.”

Zainab Kammies added:

“But they don't distance themselves from the corruption, they are united in that.”

EFF threatens national shutdown, DA plans protests over fuel hikes, says government is tone deaf to SA’s pleas

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EFF threatens national shutdown, DA plans protests over fuel hikes, says government is tone deaf to SA's pleas

In a related matter, Briefly News also reported political parties are not taking the fuel price increase laying down after South Africans were forced to pay close to R25 per litre for diesel and petrol. Due to the rising fuel price, the Economic Freedom Fighters is planning a nationwide shutdown. Motorists are paying R2.43 more per litre for 93 octane petrol and R2.33 per litre for 95 octane. While they are paying R1.10/l for diesel and R1.56/l for illuminating paraffin.

The EFF plans to force the National Treasury and the Minister of mineral resources and energy minister Gwede Mantashe to reduce fuel prices. The political party told TimesLIVE that government is tone-deaf to the pleas of workers, the taxi industry, and small businesses.

Source: Briefly News