COSATU, its affiliates and alliance partners, will protest in KwaZulu-Natal, on Friday against the high fuel prices which have caused a sharp increase in the public transport fees.
SACP, ANC, Young Communist League, Sasco, Sanco Youth, Taxi Drivers Union (Qina Mshayeli/Satdu), Cosatu Gender Structure and Cosatu Young Workers have all confirmed their participation in the demonstration.
The unions will be demonstrating against the recent fuel hike, high cost of living, unemployment, poverty, and poor wages.
The main protest will take place in the Durban CBD.
Cosatu KZN provincial secretary Edwin Mkhize said it was an easy decision for all Cosatu affiliates and alliance partners to join them in the demonstration as the current situation was an injury to all.
Mkhize said the unions are unhappy with the recent petrol price hikes, saying South Africans can no longer afford it.
With the high unemployment rate, Cosatu says the government must be challenged on the cost of living.
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“Many people in our country are not working and losing jobs. We have an economy that is bleedings jobs and therefore rising cost of food and fuel will subject our people to extreme levels of poverty,” said Mkhize.
The unions will gather at Curries Fountain at 9 am and the motorcade will proceed to Marine Building in Dorothy Nyembe Street in Durban where a memorandum will be handed over at 12 noon.
In Pongola, the union and its affiliates will also hold the same event at the same time. They will gather on the R66 (Nongoma Road) and move via the N2 to KwaMlogo in Pongola.
