National strike warning for next week

Union federation Cosatu is mobilising for a national strike on Monday, 7 October, where it aims to march against high levels of unemployment in the country, “rampant retrenchment” in the public and private sectors, the rising cost of living, and crime. The group is also making a list of demands, including that the government drop “privatisation” strategies and stop budget cuts, or what it calls “austerity measures”. It plans to strike nationally and ultimately hand over a memorandum of demands to the Department of Labour. Businesses have hit back at the union’s plans, calling it misguided. Phemelo speaks to Cosatu National Spokesperson, Zanele Sabela about their plans.