The march is expected to affect buses, trains, schools, refuse removal and many other services. Emergency services, such as clinics, hospitals and ambulance services, could also be affected as some staff members might join the strike
ONE of Cosatu's biggest affiliates yesterday drew battle lines with employers ahead of the national march against the e-tolling of freeways and labour brokers today.
The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa), the trade union that initiated a campaign against labour brokers in 2009, has called on workers and the unemployed to join the march today to make their statement against the two elements it said would impact negatively in their lives.
Numsa general secretary Irvin Jim told journalists during a press briefing in Johannesburg yesterday that the union's campaign against labour brokers had been successful in the auto and tyre sectors, where it organises.
"If we are to defeat labour brokering with all its precarious exploitative conditions, we must organise every sector of our society to say 'no' to this cheap labour system which is equal to modern slavery," he said.
Jim is scheduled to be in East London, Eastern Cape, today and will address the gathering at the North End Stadium.
"Make sure the economy is ... at a standstill. This is our opportunity to bury labour brokers," he said.
The march is expected to affect buses, trains, schools, refuse removal and many other services. Emergency services, such as clinics, hospitals and ambulance services, could also be affected as some staff members might join the strike.
Eastern Cape police spokeswoman Brigadier Marinda Mills said: "We have spoken to all the unions, and while it is their right to protest the police will not tolerate people breaking the law."
Border-Kei Chamber of Business's Les Holbrook said it was difficult to anticipate how the strike would play out.
Cosatu general-secretary Zwelinzima Vavi said yesterday everyone should participate in the march, including political parties.
"We are calling on all workers (to participate), except those in essential services."
Vavi said labour brokers were like "a third person" between the employer and the employee.
The ANC Youth League will also join the strike, led by its suspended leader Julius Malema.
Vavi said Malema was still the league's representative as he was appealing his expulsion from the party.
Cosatu will hold 32 marches nationwide today, with the biggest planned to be held in Johannesburg.
Meanwhile, Cosatu president Sdumo Dlamini yesterday labelled the involvement of the DA in the march as opportunistic.
Dlamini told Sowetan that the official opposition "invited" itself to the march and would not be acknowledged, or would the party be given a platform.
"Any Cosatu leader in all provinces who will give the DA a platform to speak during the strike tomorrow (today) will face a disciplinary hearing. The DA's presence will not even be acknowledged during the strike," said Dlamini.
"The DA supports labour brokers and toll gates, and we think it is opportunistic of them to join the strike," he said.
DA leader Helen Zille released a statement yesterday distancing the party from the strike, which it initially said it would join.
Zille said Cosatu invited her party on Monday, but internal wrangling in the federation resulted in the invitation being withdrawn.
"When Cosatu's invitation to the DA was prominently reported in the media on Monday, I considered the matter and decided to accept the invitation because Cosatu agrees with the DA's opposition to the e-tolling of major commuter thoroughfares.
"We do not, however, agree with Cosatu's call to ban labour brokers. We believe the industry should be appropriately regulated to prevent abuse," said Zille.
"Despite our strong opposition to e-tolling, the DA will not force its way into Cosatu's march. We have a long track record of staging our own, appropriate protests without disrupting education," she said.
Dlamini dismissed concerns that the strike was also an attempt by the federation to stamp its authority ahead of the ANC conference in Mangaung in December.
Black Consciousness-aligned National Council of Trade Unions (Nactu) said it would also join the marches. Spokesman for the union, Malinge Plaatjie, said Nactu had called for the banning of labour brokers since 1986.
He described the e-tolling of freeways as a project that was meant to benefit capitalists at the expense of the poor people and the working class.
Battle lines drawn
The march is expected to affect buses, trains, schools, refuse removal and many other services. Emergency services, such as clinics, hospitals and ambulance services, could also be affected as some staff members might join the strike
ONE of Cosatu's biggest affiliates yesterday drew battle lines with employers ahead of the national march against the e-tolling of freeways and labour brokers today.
The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa), the trade union that initiated a campaign against labour brokers in 2009, has called on workers and the unemployed to join the march today to make their statement against the two elements it said would impact negatively in their lives.
Numsa general secretary Irvin Jim told journalists during a press briefing in Johannesburg yesterday that the union's campaign against labour brokers had been successful in the auto and tyre sectors, where it organises.
"If we are to defeat labour brokering with all its precarious exploitative conditions, we must organise every sector of our society to say 'no' to this cheap labour system which is equal to modern slavery," he said.
Jim is scheduled to be in East London, Eastern Cape, today and will address the gathering at the North End Stadium.
"Make sure the economy is ... at a standstill. This is our opportunity to bury labour brokers," he said.
The march is expected to affect buses, trains, schools, refuse removal and many other services. Emergency services, such as clinics, hospitals and ambulance services, could also be affected as some staff members might join the strike.
Eastern Cape police spokeswoman Brigadier Marinda Mills said: "We have spoken to all the unions, and while it is their right to protest the police will not tolerate people breaking the law."
Border-Kei Chamber of Business's Les Holbrook said it was difficult to anticipate how the strike would play out.
Cosatu general-secretary Zwelinzima Vavi said yesterday everyone should participate in the march, including political parties.
"We are calling on all workers (to participate), except those in essential services."
Vavi said labour brokers were like "a third person" between the employer and the employee.
The ANC Youth League will also join the strike, led by its suspended leader Julius Malema.
Vavi said Malema was still the league's representative as he was appealing his expulsion from the party.
Cosatu will hold 32 marches nationwide today, with the biggest planned to be held in Johannesburg.
Meanwhile, Cosatu president Sdumo Dlamini yesterday labelled the involvement of the DA in the march as opportunistic.
Dlamini told Sowetan that the official opposition "invited" itself to the march and would not be acknowledged, or would the party be given a platform.
"Any Cosatu leader in all provinces who will give the DA a platform to speak during the strike tomorrow (today) will face a disciplinary hearing. The DA's presence will not even be acknowledged during the strike," said Dlamini.
"The DA supports labour brokers and toll gates, and we think it is opportunistic of them to join the strike," he said.
DA leader Helen Zille released a statement yesterday distancing the party from the strike, which it initially said it would join.
Zille said Cosatu invited her party on Monday, but internal wrangling in the federation resulted in the invitation being withdrawn.
"When Cosatu's invitation to the DA was prominently reported in the media on Monday, I considered the matter and decided to accept the invitation because Cosatu agrees with the DA's opposition to the e-tolling of major commuter thoroughfares.
"We do not, however, agree with Cosatu's call to ban labour brokers. We believe the industry should be appropriately regulated to prevent abuse," said Zille.
"Despite our strong opposition to e-tolling, the DA will not force its way into Cosatu's march. We have a long track record of staging our own, appropriate protests without disrupting education," she said.
Dlamini dismissed concerns that the strike was also an attempt by the federation to stamp its authority ahead of the ANC conference in Mangaung in December.
Black Consciousness-aligned National Council of Trade Unions (Nactu) said it would also join the marches. Spokesman for the union, Malinge Plaatjie, said Nactu had called for the banning of labour brokers since 1986.
He described the e-tolling of freeways as a project that was meant to benefit capitalists at the expense of the poor people and the working class.
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