Tensions at workers’ rally ‘expected’ and ‘healthy’, says ANC

The ANC in parliament yesterday tried its best to assure the public of the fact that President Jacob Zuma being heckled, shunned and booed away from addressing Cosatu’s key workers’ rally in Bloemfontein on Monday was “healthy”.

During a workers’ debate in the National Council of Provinces (NCOP), Landulile Catherine Dlamini said the ANC had expected Zuma may not get the happiest of receptions.

“We were expecting that, as the ANC. There will be tensions and those tensions are healthy tensions,” Dlamini said of the ANC/ Cosatu alliance partnership.

“We want to ensure that even though we are in government these workers’ rights are still observed; so you must understand those tensions are healthy.”

Under the ANC government, Dlamini argued, however, headway was being made in employment. She also took a swipe at the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) who were “shallow-minded” and pretended to represent the rights of workers.

“We are not surprised to see that there are people in overalls and gumboots. It’s the fashion.” The EFF didn’t understand the real plight of workers.

“They only wear those things when they are here in parliament; then they go out and they wear their expensive clothes and they claim to be rep resenting our workers. It’s an insult,” Dlamini said.

An ANC MP also charged it was not Zuma’s job alone to create jobs; there remained a riddled contradictory relationship between employer and employee.

DA MP Jacques Julius said government could hardly celebrate the booing of the president and other leaders based on the premise that it was healthy.

EFF member Makosini Chabangu said it was clear from Zuma’s reception that workers were tiredof the president’s corruption and his “band of corrupt leeches”.

NCOP chairperson Thandi Modise, had the final say and laid into the MPs – public servants – who had slept through the debate.

“This is the first sitting after a reasonable break… there were a lot of members falling asleep. We are also workers… We all want to say we earn our living very honourably. That means staying awake and respecting our electorate,” Modise said.

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