SOUTH AFRICA: 25,000 people marched through the streets of Johannesburg CBD against rising food, fuel and electricity prices

Record ID: 452344

  • Title: SOUTH AFRICA: 25,000 people marched through the streets of Johannesburg CBD against rising food, fuel and electricity prices
  • Date: 24th July 2008
  • Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (English) COSATU MEMBER SAYING: " We are definitely saying we are tired of all this price fixing, price increases. All we want is stabilisation in the pricing of all forms of commodities." (SOUNDBITE) (English) COSATU MEMBER "I've got a family, I've got a grandmother, I've got a mother to support, so comrades the reason why I say this must come to an end... we can't afford anything comrades. That's my concern comrade." MORE OF PROTESTERS WAVING PLACARDS AND BANNERS
  • Embargoed: 8th August 2008 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: South Africa
  • Country: South Africa
  • Topics: Domestic Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA3R6M1Z3G5IYA1IV6495IKKW19
  • Story Text: Thousands of striking South African workers brought mines and businesses to a halt on Wednesday (July 23) across four provinces to protest against a jump in electricity, food and fuel prices.
    Carrying placards reading, "Away with high food prices!" and "Down with high fuel prices!" the protesters snarled traffic in central Johannesburg.
    The one-day walkout is part of a series of rolling strikes being held around the country, Africa's biggest economy, by labour unions to protest against rising inflation, high interest rates and likely job cuts after a power crisis engulfed the country this year.
    The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) and its allies, including mineworkers, want to pressure the government to tilt policy to the left. Union leaders warned cabinet ministers to heed their demands or be swept aside.
    COSATU, an ally of the ruling ANC, said its nearly two million members wanted government to pay more attention to workers.

    "I'm going to ask you comrades when Mugabe arrives in South Africa the first thing we need to tell him (Mugabe) is that he is not a president of Zimbabwe he lost the elections. As the workers we won't offer service to him (Mugabe) he has to bring his own staff to, he needs to bring his (Mugabe) own tent where he will sleep," said Zwelinzima Vavi, COSATU'S General Secretary.
    COSATU plans to hold a national strike on Aug. 6, when the country's mines and other businesses are expected to halt. A sharp rise in the price of petrol, milk and bread, and a series of interest rate hikes meant to curb inflation have stoked labour's determination to change government policies.

    "We are definitely saying we are tired of all this price fixing, price increases. All we want is stabilisation in the pricing of all forms of commodities" said one of the union members.

    "I've got a family, I've got a grandmother, I've got a mother to support, so comrades the reason why I say this must come to an end... we can't afford anything comrades. That's my concern comrade," added another member.
    There is rising political tension in South Africa and fear of an economic downturn. Growth has averaged about 5 percent in recent years but dropped sharply in the first quarter of 2008 as the impact of the power crisis hurt mines and manufacturing. The strike shut mines and car makers, disrupted textile factories and brought business to a standstill in Gauteng, the province in which South Africa's commercial capital Johannesburg is located, the Eastern Cape, North West and Limpopo provinces.
    The country's top three gold producers AngloGold Ashanti, the world's third largest gold producer, Gold Fields and Harmony Gold said some of their mines had been shut and others partially affected. Anglo Platinum, the world's top producer of the precious metal, was largely unaffected. Economists said little could be done to change policy.
    Car maker Volkswagen's main South African factory, near the eastern port city of Port Elizabeth, was shut, as were those of Ford Motor Company and Daimler AG. Unions fear job losses linked to the electricity crisis that began in January when a near collapse of the system led to a five-day shut down of platinum and gold mines.
    Eskom has been rationing electricity to large industrial customers since then, with mining houses threatening to shed jobs because of lower output. Critics blame President Thabo Mbeki's government for not investing in power generation. Unions say their workers should not be made to pay for the government's lack of planning. A 27.5 percent hike in power tariffs has further annoyed unions.
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