Johannesburg - Makro employees used Monday's May Day rally in Gauteng to voice out their discontent over their working conditions and ineffective labour practices.
The employees dressed in their uniform held placards and embarked on protests as ANC Deputy President Paul Mashatile and Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi arrived at Saulsville Arena in Atteridgeville, Pretoria to join labour federation Cosatu for the rally.
The National Union of Mineworkers (Num) and the Association of Mineworkers, Construction Union (Amcu), South African Democratic Teachers Union (Sadtu), South African Municipal Workers Union (SAMWU) and South African Communist Party (SACP) were also part of the celebration.
Speaking on behalf of the workers, the Chairperson of Cosatu in Gauteng, Amos Monyela, told Mashatile that workers were tired of suffering because of the working systems and demanded that action be taken. This includes working hours, wages, inequality and imbalances in work places.
“We are tired and we demand action, please pass the message to President Cyril Ramaphosa that something must be done. We are waging war against our government, we are giving you six months to fix the state of the country,” he said.
Responding to the workers’ complaints, Mashatile agreed to pass the message to Ramaphosa when they meet this week.
“It’s very important that when workers have challenges, the organisation of the people (ANC) must be there. To all the workers I have read your plug cards, listened to your songs and it’s very clear that you are unhappy,” he said.
He applauded the ruling party in Gauteng for intervening in the Makro case to ensure that equality was not tempered with.
Lesufi mentioned that Makro was taken to court by two of its workers for paying different salaries to white people. He said they will pay for all the legal fees in court.
According to him, they should have gone to Makro today to show that they are not afraid of them.
Furthermore, Mashatile thanked Cosatu for commemorating the workers day peacefully and said the top seven meetings will come with solutions to the workers problems.
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