* This story has been updated.
Johannesburg - Organisers of the anti-corruption march said they would embark on planned marches this Wednesday, despite the illegality of any strike action on the day as they failed to secure necessary permissions on time.
The Unite Against Corruption coalition took the drastic step to continue with the action, which could put protesting workers’ jobs at risk, after the National Economic Development and Labour Council (Nedlac) granted the group a strike certificate only valid from October 8.
The National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) had made the strike application on behalf of the coalition.
Participation in an unprotected strike may, in terms of section 68 (5) of the LRA, constitute a fair reason for dismissal.
In a media statement, the coalition stated the marches to the Union Buildings in Pretoria and Parliament in Cape Town would go ahead “despite Nedlac”. The group said it had already attained the green-light to march from the respective cities.
“There is deep concern among all members of the coalition about the way in which Nedlac and its various representatives in its Section 77 committee have managed the perfectly legal and administratively correct application for a protected strike,” the coalition said.
The organisers have previously said they were expecting over 230 organisations and 700 prominent individuals to join the strike action.
However, they may not enjoy a similar amount of support on the streets come Wednesday as some had already expressed concern about the implications of taking their members onto the streets unprotected.
The Federation of Unions of South Africa had already vowed to pull out of the action if it was not in line with the laws of the country.
Numsa general secretary Irvin Jim said they did not want to give employers ammunition to dismiss workers during the current economic turmoil, but that the decision to continue or not lay with the coalition.
The union had also said it would consider legal action against Nedlac. However, in light of the announcement that the action would continue, it was unlikely they would still go the legal route.
The coalition said it would clarify its stance in a press briefing scheduled for Monday afternoon.
Labour Bureau