The Congress of South African Trade Unions in the Northern Cape will join the multitudes of other workers in the country in commemorating the Workers Day on Tuesday, 01 May 2018. This is an important day in the calendar of the working people throughout the world and should be treated with such significance.

For COSATU in the Northern Cape, we always celebrate this day with mixed feelings. This happened because the 1st of May reminds us of the Soulspoort Bus disaster that happened fifteen years ago ,when a bus carrying about sixty municipal workers employed at Sol Plattje municipality plunged into Soulspoort dam in Bethlehem on their way to the National May Day rally that was held in Qwaqwa in the Free State.

The saddest thing is that as we reach the 15th Anniversary of that disaster the families of those workers are still to see justice being done in terms of the children of those workers. In 2003 a commitment was made to establish an education trust for those children but up until now nothing materialized.

We want to make a firm commitment to those families that we will never abandon their cause as those workers died in the line of duty. We have recently started engagements with the current Executive Mayor of Sol Plaatje Municipality who is keen to make the dream of a trust a reality. There is already a process in place to look at the modalities of the trust, something that is long overdue.

We call on all the workers to join the celebrations that will be held in three areas as follows: Kimberley (Main event) a march will be led by the President of SACCAWU, Cde Louise Thipe, Kuruman march will be led by the National Treasurer, Cde Freda Oosthuysen and the Calvinia march that will be led by the 2nd Deputy Presudent of POPCRU, Cde Bonnie Marekwa.

This year’s May Day will be celebrated under the theme: “Building Unity and Cojesion of COSATU to advance the National Democratic Revolution”. There can’t be a better theme than this in the time when the unity of our giant federation is facing so many challenges. We call on the workers to unite and close ranks against those who are on a mission to create disunity within our ranks.

Issued on behalf of the PEC

For more information please contact the Provincial Secretary, Anele Gxoyiya @ 0828291961