Rivals agree that building an economy to address poverty, joblessness is vital

In an unprecedented show of solidarity on worker struggles and human rights, the SA Federation of Trade Unions (Saftu) and the Congress of SA Trade Unions (Cosatu) top brass yesterday shrugged off allegiances to send a message to government and business on root causes behind SA’s economic woes.

Sharing a platform during their address to delegates at the three-day National Conference on Human Rights in South Africa – ending in Boksburg today – Saftu general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi and Cosatu president Zingiswa Losi asserted that transforming and building a resilient economy to address unemployment, poverty and underdevelopment, was a human right and constitutional imperative.

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Vavi blamed government for introducing austerity programmes he said served to “contribute to the worsening of the disaster” that SA is in.

“As long as we are not getting rid of what we inherited from the colonial-apartheid era – an economy by design, meant to reproduce unemployment, poverty and inequality – we are going nowhere,” he warned.

The economy, Vavi said, has not been able to create sufficient jobs. “SA’s unemployment rate, according to Stats SA, was at 16% in 1995 – a figure which did not include discouraged workers. But this has ratcheted up to the 32% level – translating to about 11.6 million people who are unemployed.

“If you are going to need R5 200 to put a plate of food for a family of four – not accounting for transport and schooling – then that is not sustainable.”

Vavi added that “if 10% of our population occupy 90% of the wealth, we are the most unequal society in the world”.

Losi said while Cosatu affirmed that “three decades of democracy have brought change”, they want to concede that more still needs to be done.

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“When unemployment is so high, with workers accepting any job and employers violating their rights – like working long hours or being locked up in dangerous sweat shops – this violates the right to work,” she said.

“Worker salaries and subsidies from government should help workers to uplift their conditions and live a better life. Workers need a productive economy and a well-oiled public service.

“Electricity, roads and other services are key in a working economy and failure to provide these will only lead to companies struggling to produce and selling their products pay workers.”

The gathering, attended by academics, ministers, government officials and NGO representatives, is expected to adopt resolutions to address socioeconomic challenges.