The Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) has led more than 200 members of affiliated unions in a protest at GrandWest Casino over planned retrenchments, calling for the protection of jobs, decent wages and improved working conditions.
The march, held on October 7, coincided with World Day for Decent Work and formed part of nationwide demonstrations highlighting worker’s concerns about unemployment, rising living costs and precarious employment.
The protest was supported by the South African Commercial Catering and Allied Workers Union (Saccawu), the National Education, Health and Allied Workers Union (NEHAWU), the South African Municipal Workers Union (SAMWU), the Democratic Nursing Organization of South Africa (DENOSA), the South African Democratic Teachers Union (SADTU), the South African National Civic Organization (SANCO) and the South African Communist Party (SACP).
Addressing demonstrators outside GrandWest Casino, Cosatu national treasurer Freda Oosthuyzen criticized the planned retrenchments, pointing to the contrast between the casino’s expansion and the financial pressures facing workers.
“GrandWest is extending their building. They are building on the sweat of the working class,” Oosthuyzen said.
She urged workers to strengthen their collective efforts to defend their rights and livelihoods, citing rising fuel prices, low wages and pressure on public services.
“Today we must take our job very seriously. We must build a strong and united chain as workers. Last night, garages were full, petrol has gone up, while people are earning low wages,” she said.
Oosthuyzen also highlighted the difficult working conditions faced by public servants and the challenges confronting communities.
“The 7th of October is a serious day and will not disappear until we get our freedom. Police officers are overworked, our teachers are overworked, and so are our public servants. Some of you, as we stand here, don’t have electricity in your communities,” she added.
Saccawu national coordinator for education Mike Sikani said the protest came amid growing frustration among workers, as GrandWest Casino was taking the union through a Section 189 retrenchment consultation process. According to Sikani, workers were concerned that the process could result in job losses if they did not agree to proposed reductions in working standards and wages.
“This company is planning to retrench workers if they don’t agree with the downward variation of their work standards and their wages. We are saying as Saccawu, if employers in South Africa are continuing to threaten retrenchments to add on to the growing army of unemployment and the rising prices of food, we are going to fight,” Sikani said.
He warned that the union was prepared to intensify its action if necessary to protect employment.
“We have brought this march here so that we may confront the enemy head-on. If need be, we are preparing ourselves even for bigger marches, where Saccawu members will demonstrate daily to defend jobs and decent jobs across all sectors,” he added.
In a memorandum presented as part of the demonstration, the unions called for a national jobs and industrialization compact, an end to precarious employment, decent wages and the protection of collective bargaining. Their demands also included urgent measures to address rising food prices, transport costs, electricity tariffs, housing expenses and healthcare costs.
The unions further called for increased youth employment and skills development, stronger public services, greater investment in infrastructure, improved food security and fairer markets. The demands reflect broader concerns about the impact of rising living costs on workers and their ability to meet basic household needs.
Western Cape South African Communist Party provincial secretary Benson Ngqentsu expressed support for the demonstration, arguing that decent work must enable people to afford essential expenses, including food and transport.
“Those we entrusted to govern our country have sold out the workers’ agenda. The SACP in the Western Cape will always be with the workers. We are against the use of EPWP as a form of cheap labour,” Ngqentsu said.
He also appealed to public transport operators against increasing fares, citing the financial pressure on workers.
“Our message to the transport sector is that please do not increase bus and taxi fares. These workers cannot afford the cost of living anymore,” he said.
Ngqentsu added that the November elections would give workers an opportunity to influence the country’s direction through their votes. The demonstration concluded with the unions giving GrandWest Casino management 14 days to respond to their demands. The unions are seeking action to protect jobs, improve employment conditions and address the economic pressures affecting workers across South Africa.
The outcome of the consultation process and management’s response to the memorandum will determine the next steps in the dispute, with Saccawu warning that further demonstrations could follow if efforts to defend workers’ jobs and conditions require additional action.
