The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) condemns in the strongest possible terms government’s shocking decision to retrench 67 000 elderly Community Works Programme’ workers from the end of January.  The announcement by the Minister for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Mr. V. Hlabisa, must be rejected with the contempt it deserves by all progressive organisations.  If needs be, Parliament must intervene to halt it.

Whilst we appreciate the fiscal pressures facing the state, largely born of its own mismanagement and its failure to grow the economy, the bill for its ineptitude cannot be dumped upon the poor, the vulnerable and the elderly.  This is amoral and simply unacceptable.  Nor should politicians delude themselves into thinking that voters will forget such cruel actions as we head towards local government elections.

Where cuts must be made, they must be done to the wealthy who can afford it, not to the poorest members of society who have no resources to fall back on, provide a lifeline to on average seven dependents each, and are unlikely to find work in an stagnant economy burdened by a 41.9% unemployment rate.  If cuts are needed, let them be applied to Ministers, Mayors and Councillors.  If early retirement is a newfound economic path to prosperity, let it be applied to Cabinet and Mayoral Committees, not to those who have no pensions and will not qualify for the Old Age Grant for another five years.

COSATU will be seeking an urgent meeting with the Ministers for COGTA and Finance to ensure this callous and unacceptable decision is reversed.  Equally we expect the President, Cyril Ramaphosa, to intervene decisively and put an end to this pending nightmare for these workers.

With unemployment a living reality for 12 million citizens, government needs to ramp up its public employment programmes, including overhauling them to ensure they provide the skills and experience their participants require to find permanent decent jobs after exiting and that they are pegged to and not below the National Minimum Wage.

Government, led by the African National Congress, needs to do better and to show the working class who elected it to office, that it understands their plight, is responsive and caring.  Actions like these will leave a bitter taste in the mouths of thousands that the nation simply cannot afford.

Issued by COSATU

Matthew Parks (Parliamentary Coordinator)

Mobile: 082 785 0687

Email: matthew@cosatu.org.za