The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) condemns in the strongest possible terms employers attempting to prevent workers from voting tomorrow.  This is criminal sabotage of workers’ constitutional right to vote.

We are alarmed by reports of thousands of workers being threatened with lost wages, disciplinary action, victimisation and dismissals by employers attempting to prevent workers from voting.  Sectors were reports are being received in large numbers include hospitality, retail, agriculture, transport and other non-essential sectors as well as security companies. 

Employer’s instruction to workers to report for duty on a paid public holiday is a very serious violation of the Constitution, the Electoral, Basic Conditions of Employment and the Public Holidays Acts.

All non-essential workplaces must close on elections day.  Hair salons are not essential.  They and other such workplaces must be closed. 

Workplaces that must be operational e.g. security, those looking after livestock etc that are genuinely essential must put in place plans to enable their employees to vote, e.g. reduced shifts to allow workers plenty of time to travel home safely and go to the voting station before it becomes dark, reduced staffing and providing staff transport to their voting stations.

COSATU is intervening on these crises with the Department of Employment and Labour, the Independent Electoral Commission and the South African Police Service to ensure every single employee of Eagles is able to exercise their constitutional right to vote tomorrow without any hindrance, threat or victimisation from any employer.

We will not tolerate any employers’ attempt to undermine workers’ right to vote.  COSATU will organise workers at such companies to go on strike, call for a consumer boycott of such shameful employers and shut down these criminal employers.  No worker will be prevented from voting.

Issued by COSATU.

For further comment please contact:

Matthew Parks

Acting National Spokesperson & Parliamentary Coordinator

Cell: 082 785 0687

Email: matthew@cosatu.org.za

Cape Town, South Africa