Cape Town - Pensioners in Cape Town have asked Cosatu to fight for a R2 000 pension for them.
Thousands of golden oldies had a party at the V&A Waterfront on Tuesday, at an “end of the year” bash hosted by the Congress of SA Trade Unions.
Just over 2 000 senior citizens from across Cape Town travelled for free on trains and buses to the popular tourist spot.
Cosatu Western Cape secretary Tony Ehrenreich told the crowd the monthly outings was to give black and coloured elderly the chance to enjoy the “sites that the rich, mainly white seniors take for granted every day”.
He said: “The city must belong to all the people and you have a right to come out here and enjoy yourself.”
As soon as he left the stage, the seniors started speaking out about their complaints.
The union is now calling on the City of Cape Town to add an extra R500 to Capetonians regular pension of R1 410.
National government could cover the remaining R90.
Ehrenreich even gave a breakdown of where the city can get the money from.
Cosatu says:
- R50 million can be taken from the World Design Capital money;
- R150 million from the Sea Point upgrade;
- The R175 million that is being given to rich road users can go to poor pensioners;
- And “the R1 000 million that the city is spending on providing free services to middle class whites can be taken to increase pensions for people from the Cape Flats”.
Ehrenreich added: “We will also insist that the city tax mainly white, wealthy people in Cape Town, that was worked rich by the labour of black people; so that we can increase the pensions of poor black people.”
Cosatu would kick off this campaign with a march to Cape Town mayor Patricia de Lille’s office “soon”.
Spokeswoman for the City of Cape Town, Zara Nicholson, called Ehrenreich’s statements “laughable and bizarre”.
“He also needs a math class because (his) basic addition skills require some work,” she said.
She says the city plays its part for pensioners: “We provide a host of subsidised services to the poor which the ANC and Cosatu vote against in Council. All Mr Ehrenreich’s statement does is show that he has no clue about the country’s legislative framework and which sphere of government and government agency is responsible for pensions.”
She said the city provided home-based care to “over 5 000” older persons and also successfully hosts the annual Cape Town Games for Older Persons at the Green Point Athletics Track.
Tuesday’s Cosatu event was the culmination of a regular outing – every Tuesday the pensioners get a free ride into town, and once a month the labour federation treats them to a day out.
Comedian Stuart Taylor entertained the crowd with jokes and the band N2 played all their favourite old school music.
When the band struck up the Bill Haley classic, Rock Around The Clock,the crowd went wild with some grannies and grandpasdoing the twist, if their hips allowed.
Annie Smith, 67, from Clarke Estate took advantage of her old age by getting an extra special treat.
“I went over to the boats and then I went on a boat ride for R25,” she bragged to the Daily Voice and her friends.
Daily Voice
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