#MayDay: Ramaphosa assures workers the government will never betray them

Published May 1, 2019

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Durban - African National Congress (ANC) President Cyril Ramaphosa used Wednesday’s workers’ day rally in Durban to assure workers that the government of the day would never betray them and sell them to private interests.

Addressing Cosatu's main workers' day rally, Ramaphosa said as the country heads to the polls on May 8 for the sixth time since 1994, they will ensure that workers’ interests come first at all times. He said workers faith in them will never be overtaken by greed and the push for individual wealth accumulation.

“Of everything that we do, we must never surrender your interests and indeed the revolution to other interests and subject the interests of the working people of our country to any interests. We must never subject them to greed, to corruption or even to patronage. We will not even comrades, hand over the institutions of our democracy that are meant to advance the interests of the working people in our country,” Ramaphosa said.

He told the legion of workers that as government, there must be a programme to transform the economy and create job opportunities, especially for young people who are affected by unemployment.

“We need to embark on programmes that are going to create jobs, that are going to create employment and programmes that are also going to transform the economy of our country, so that we are able to have an economy where everyone can share in the inclusive growth we hope to have.

Echoing Cosatu's president, Zingiswa Losi, Ramaphosa, said they will ensure that all employers abide by the minimum wage which came into effect on January 1 this year. He said this was done to ensure that all workers earn a living wage and employers trying to avoid paying the minimum wage will be punished.

Political Bureau

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ANCCyril Ramaphosa