MARCHERS protesting against labour brokers and e-tolling arrived at Parliament just before noon yesterday.

The area in front of the building was cordoned off with police tape around the Louis Botha statue to keep crowds away from the gates. Ten police officers in full crowd-control gear kept a watchful eye on the Cosatu protest.

Undeterred, crowds took their hats off to sing the national anthem while putting their fists in the air and waving flags.

One sign read: "Throw Botha off the horse and put Nelson Mandela on the horse."

This was a reference to the statue of Anglo-Boer War general and Union of SA prime minister Botha at the entrance to Parliament.

Earlier, Cosatu provincial secretary Tony Ehrenreich, standing on a truck and talking through a loudspeaker, told marchers outside the Cape Town City Hall that unemployment was a serious concern.

"In South Africa today, more than two million people are taking to the streets. We will not tolerate labour brokers.

"We want to make sure all people in our country have opportunities and prosperity ... that's what we want to say today," he said.

Ehrenreich handed over a memorandum to a representative of Business Unity SA - who promised he would pass it on to Western Cape business.

Ehrenreich veered off the subject of e-tolling and turned to address Metrorail.

"Everyday our people come to work, the trains are delayed and our people lose money. We must fix the system," he said.

Ehrenreich said buses were also "politically selective" in the passengers they chose to transport. "Buses come from Table View and Milnerton to pick up Democratic Alliance members, but not from Khayelitsha." - Sapa