Continued Strike is Damaging South Africa

By Myriam Clerge
Impunity Watch, Africa

According to Jacob Zuma, the deputy leader of the governing ANC, South Africa’s public sector strike could have been avoided and is damaging the country’s image abroad.

One of the biggest strikes in South Africa increased Wednesday as hundreds of thousands more workers downed tools, bringing large parts of the country to a standstill.

Hospitals, schools and transports have met a huge disruption since the beginning of the strike, June 1. Most public schools have been closed since the beginning of the month and hospitals are only able to run a skeleton service with army medics. Bus and train services refuse collections as the unions staged massive marches through the center of the country’s main cities, such as Johannesburg, Pretoria and Cape Town.

Despite optimism from President Thabo Mbeki the wage dispute could soon be resolved. The government has increased its offer from six to 7.25 percent but the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) has vowed to pressure the government into raising their pay offer from the 7.25 percent. Workers, who wanted a 12 percent increase, say they will not go below 10 percent.

Zuma, a possible successor to President Thabo Mbeki, said negotiations since the start of the strike showed that a compromise between the government and unions was possible and should have been explored beforehand.

Zuma acknowledged that the strike damaged the country’s international reputation as it tries to cement its status as the continent’s economic powerhouse and ahead of the 2010 World Cup which is being held in South Africa.

Meanwhile, the government criticized the unions of failing to explain the details of the negotiations to their members and took out ads in newspapers to give information of how its offer included increases on housing and medical allowances.

For more information please visit:

BBC – Strike Escalates in South Africa – 14 June 2007

Yahoo – Strike Damaging South Africa, Says Zuma – 14 June 2007

Yahoo – South Africa Shutdown as Strike Intensifies – 13 June 2007

Author: Impunity Watch Archive