Everson Luhanga
The disruption caused by the national shutdown scheduled for Wednesday will be lessened by the absence of taxi drivers, whose union has distanced itself from the strikes.
Saftu, Cosatu and other labour formations have organised demonstrations across the country on Wednesday to protest the rising cost of living.
Cosatu spokesperson Sizwe Pamla said that they are demanding a cut to fuel, electricity and food costs and a de-escalation of interest rates.
However, the nation’s taxi drivers are unlikely to join the strike after the South African National Taxi Council (Santaco) distanced itself from the nationwide protest, saying its members will continue with their normal operations across the country.
Santaco’s chief strategy manager Bafana Magagula said the council is calling upon all taxi operators to be on the road on Wednesday.
“Despite numerous requests to participate in the national shutdown, Santaco will not participate in the planned national shutdown,” he said.
The council is calling upon law enforcement agencies to enforce the law, he added, for a fair movement of people and other businesses on the day.
Without the participation of taxis, the protest is unlikely to cause a complete shutdown of the economy, as the nation’s workforce will be able to commute to work.
Labour and law expert Michael Bagraim told Scrolla.Africa that with the taxi association not being part of the strike, the shutdown will be a failure.
Bagraim criticised the protests, saying that it makes no sense to protest a cost of living crisis by bringing the economy to its knees.
“This shutdown is like a person who complains of high fuel prices and resorts to burning their cars because they cannot afford to buy fuel.”
With high unemployment, he said, taxi owners made the right decision not to participate in the shutdown as they have a mandate to transport people to and from their jobs.
In responding to the decision by Santaco not to join the strike, spokesperson Pamla said: “We have never associated with taxi owners when we embarked on a strike. We are a labour union and we mobilise workers – we do not outsource people to join us.”
Most private companies will implement the No Work, No Pay principle for workers who stay away from work for the demonstration.
Cosatu and Saftu labour federations will lead marches in different cities and towns across South Africa. The largest march will be in Tshwane to the Union Buildings.
Image source:@sugarmash1
