Labour brokers will remain a contentious issue between Cosatu and the government until they are abolished, Cosatu president S'dumo Dlamini said on Wednesday.
“We will never understand the regulation of labour brokers, we want a total ban,” he said at the Congress of SA Trade Unions' protest in Durban against labour brokers and e-tolling.
He said Cosatu had discussed the issue of labour brokers with the government. If its demand they be banned was not met, another march would be held in August.
Dlamini said the state and Cosatu were still in agreement on a number of issues and that the ANC-led government retained Cosatu's backing.
Asked whether Cosatu would support President Jacob Zuma at the ANC's elective conference in Bloemfontein later this year, he said the strike had nothing to do with succession in the party.
“We are not trying to propel our view to Mangaung.”
Dlamini admitted that the nationwide protest had been costly for workers and for businesses, but said it had been necessary to air concerns.
“This should not stop Cosatu raising issues.”
Marchers carried banners for the SA Communist Party and various unions including the Chemical, Energy, Paper, Printing, Wood and Allied Workers' Union, the SA Transport and Allied Workers' Union and the finance union Sasbo (formerly known as the SA Society of Bank Officials).
“We don't want labour brokers,” said marcher Joshua Ngcobo, a Sasbo member.
“We want the government to get rid of them. How can you work without benefits? That's what happens with labour brokers,” he said.
Once the marchers had gathered at the Durban City hall, Dlamini said Cosatu had decided not to comment on the African National Congress disciplinary processes involving the ANC Youth League.
“We are not commenting because we respect the ANC’s internal disciplinary processes. We will not want the ANC to disrespect our own internal disciplinary processes.”
SACP secretary general Blade Nzimande told the workers that labour brokers had no place in the country, did nothing to impart skills to workers and undermined government efforts to educate workers
“We want to say as South African communists that we are in full support of the workers' efforts to end this modern-day slavery.”
Dlamini and Nzimande had a go at the Democratic Alliance.
“There shall be no connection between that agenda of the struggle for socialism and the agenda that the DA is driving in this country. There is no connection.”
He challenged DA leader Helen Zille to prove that Cosatu had invited the DA to take part in the march.
On Tuesday, Zille accused Cosatu of backtracking on an invite to the party to participate in the march.
“She (Zille) wanted to march with us. Who invited her? Because liberals are very dangerous, comrades. They pretend that they care about people if they want to carry out their dirty work,” said Nzimande.
“As workers, we must make sure that people like Helen Zille don’t mislead us.”
The protest began an hour behind schedule.
There were numerous police officers along Dr Pixley ka Seme street - formerly called West Street - and the crowd was under control.
The street was a sea of red T-shirts. Vuvuzelas were blown.
Most of the shops were open prior to the march, but many of the usual informal traders who sold fruits and sweets were absent.
Protesters' placards read: “Investigate e-toll contracts” and “six months labour broking is too long”.
A line of riot police preceded the march along with a water cannon and a police Nyala riot vehicle.
At various intersections along the route, marchers would sit for a few moments before getting back up and rejoining the crowds.
By noon, police estimated that the number of marchers had grown to about 13,000.
By the time Cosatu's memorandum was handed over to a labour department official, most businesses along Pixley ka Seme Street had reopened for trade. - Sapa