Durban - About 500 Cosatu members gathered at the King Dinuzulu Park in Durban on Tuesday ahead of a march against state capture and corruption.
Cosatu president Sdumo Dlamini is expected to lead the march.
Themba Mthembu the provincial secretary of the SACP is among those gathered at the park. He however rubbished claims that the march was being used as part of campaigning for candidates ahead of the ANC conference in December.
However some members of Cosatu were seen wearing CR17 t-shirts. CR17 is the name of Cyril Ramaphosa's presidential campaign.
Unions that are part of the march include Sadtu, Samwu, Nehawu and other Cosatu affiliates.
The union federation said it was expecting 15 000 people to be part of the march.
Cosatu provincial secretary Edwin Mkhize said on Tuesday that the strike was a chance to stand up against the "cancer of corruption" that was eroding South Africa's gains and undermining its democracy.
He said the trade union federation has organised its affiliates to march on Wednesday with the intention of bringing worker solidarity in all sectors of the economy.
“This is not just another march but an important moment where organised labour will come out more clearly to express its disdain and disgust at those who are stealing from the country.
"We have called on everybody to take over the streets. The economy of this country will come to a standstill. We have mobilised, all alliance partners will join us to make sure that the South African government listens to us," Mkhize said.