SATAWU - Reject the Privatisation of our Roads and Ban Labour Brokers

[Rea Molopyane]

 

SATAWU – Reject the Privatisation of our Roads and Ban Labour Brokers

5 March 2012

 

The South African Transport & Allied Workers’ Union (SATAWU) calls on all South African’s and more so our members to reject the privatisation of our roads and ban labour brokers. You can take part by joining in the COSATU organised mass action on Wednesday 7 March 2012.

 

The tolling of Gauteng Freeways is a new revenue system created by Government and will never cease or decrease once implemented. As the SATAWU we say this massive multi-billion rand expenditure on freeways was the wrong priority. We agree with government that all future SANRAL freeway and tolling projects must be put on hold and thoroughly reassessed.

 

We have been consistent is saying tolling Gauteng roads is an infringement of our right of movement and not far removed from the Pass system. The system also denies the poor man the ability to afford his own vehicle. If toll fees are expensive, the poor cannot afford travelling in his own car. By taking away their motivation, you take away the motivation work harder. Therefore the poor will become poorer and the rich will become richer.

 

We continue to call on the government to prioritise the achievement of safe, reliable, accessible, integrated and affordable public transport instead of being obsessed with elite projects and projects such as toll gates that do nothing but enrich a few at the expense of the majority and workers. 

 

On Labour Brokers

 

One of the sectors SATAWU organises in is cleaning, we remain utterly opposed to the practice of labour brokering, a form of human trafficking, which has condemned thousands of workers to insecure jobs with poverty pay, no benefits and no job security, most of our members in the cleaning are employed through labour brokers and are being paid slave wages. The industry refuses to regulate itself and provides lip-service to support for additional regulation and legislation, knowing full-well that any such regulations and legislation would be subject to the same subversive attitude, simply because this is the life-blood of the industry.

 

Rather than simply regulating labour brokers, a symptom of a much deeper disease in South African business stemming from Apartheid days. We call on government to outright them.

 

Contact:

Mamokgethi Rea Molopyane

SATAWU National Spokesperson

Cell: 082 395 0907

Landline: 011 333 6127

E-mail: r...@satawu.org.za

Twitter: @Reagoikanya