COSATU marches in CT, calls for fair wages, job security & protection of workers

Hundreds of Congress of South African Trade Union (COSATU) supporters marched through the streets of Cape Town CBD on Tuesday to mark International Day for Decent Work.

The marchers were calling for fair wages, job security, and the protection of workers' rights as part of a nationwide campaign.

About 500 marchers who gathered in the CBD to support COSATU started singing apartheid struggle slogans in Hanover Street, before proceeding down Darling Street and on to the Western Cape Provincial Legislature.

Western Cape provincial secretary, Malvern de Bruyn, said that the aim was to hold both provincial and national government accountable for the high unemployment rate in the country, which currently sits at just over 33%.

"We are here to hand over memorandums to the provincial legislature, to the premier and to national government via the Speaker's office. The memorandum will talk to the question of job creation. We want decent jobs in our province, we want decent and rela jobs for our people."

De Bruyn said that another memorandum will be handed to the City of Cape Town to highlight increased tariffs in the municipality.

Cosatu planned similar marches throughout the country on Tuesday.