Cosatu Gears Up for a National Shutdown to Address the Cost of Living, Loadshedding & Fuel Hikes

• The Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) has confirmed that a national shutdown will be taking place next week
• The union stated that it is protesting against the high cost of living, loadshedding amongst other challenges in South Africa
• Social media users are not enthused about the protest and say the trade union should bring up these grievances to the ANC instead

JOHANNESBURG - The Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) has set a date for the national shutdown to address South African citizens' concerns.

Cosatu stated the national strike will take place on 24 August and it will be against the high cost of living, fuel prices and constant loadshedding in the country.

According to Fin24, Cosatu's national shutdown will be held on the same day as the South African Federation of Trade Unions (Saftu) will hold a similar protest.

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Saftu secretary-general Zwelinzima Vavi stated the federation was willing to work with politically affiliated organisations if it meant they are working towards a cause for working-class people, referring to Cosatu, which is affiliated with the African National Congress.

Cosatu took to social media to announce that an official press conference will take place on Thursday, 18 August, to discuss the planned protest action next week in Johannesburg.

Cosatu spokesperson Sizwe Pamla stated that it is just a coincidence that the protests their protest will be happening on the same day as Saftu. Pamla added that both unions would be meeting on Wednesday to coordinate their demonstrations.

South Africans react

@PhuthumileAliv1 said:

"Cosatu should March for salary increases for workers. Workers have not received an increase and we are very frustrated and depressed."

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@southy_citizen said:

"Are they going to protest against themselves? Do they forget that they are part of theTri-partite alliance with the governing ANC? Do they forget that they are responsible for the d structure labour laws that have completely collapsed the economy?"

@Indepentdepend1 said:

"Nonsense, they are in bed with the ANC which is a cause of all those things."

@c_skaap said:

"Marching against themselves now? What a waste of time. Rather march to lootuli house."

@sibuJobela said:

"As much as this sounds good. How about you guys raise these issues on the tri-party meetings you guys attend, if you did, what decision was taken before taking us to the streets, with the possibility of no work no pay in these difficult economic times?"

Things are getting more expensive in South Africa as the cost of living increases

In other news, Briefly News previously reported that South Africans may start to feel more financial pressures in 2022 as the inflation rates increase and the cost of living goes up with it.

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Analysts at Alexander Forbes, a financial services firm, say the current Consumer Price Inflation (CPI) data has revealed that the South African Reserve Bank will have no choice but to increase rates in response to the new figures.

The experts also believe that should the factors that are responsible for the increase in the inflation rate stay in place, things will get even more expensive in the years to come, according to BusinessTech.

Source: Briefly News