Youth march to Union Buildings for lower fuel, electricity costs, end to load shedding

A file picture of a Cosatu march to the Union Buildings. Picture: Sapa

A file picture of a Cosatu march to the Union Buildings. Picture: Sapa

Published Aug 12, 2022

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Pretoria - Cosatu Young Workers will embark on a national march in Pretoria today in a bid to speak up against rising fuel costs and unemployment, among socio-economic challenges affecting them.

The regional South African Municipal Workers Union (Samwu), which was expected to march outside Tshwane House to demand a salary increment and unpaid leave days, said the activity had been cancelled to support Cosatu.

Samwu regional secretary in Tshwane, Mpho Tladinyane, said the municipal workers’ march would take place next Friday.

Cosatu has called on all young people to join the march this morning at the corner of Kgosi Mampuru and Madiba streets, where participants will converge before marching to the Union Buildings.

Participants will march through the Pretoria CBD on their way to the Union Buildings, where they will hand over a memorandum of demands to government representatives.

The Gauteng secretary of Cosatu Young Workers, Diketseng Maswabi, said the demands included calls for the government to do away with fuel hikes and constant load shedding, to absorb all contract workers and to end unemployment.

“We would like to call all young people to come and join us as we will be embarking on a national march to the Union Buildings in Tshwane.”

She urged all young workers and unemployed young people to voice their concerns against fuel hikes, high electricity tariffs and the privatisation of state-owned enterprises.

“We have had enough. We need funding of postgraduate students from the government. Countrywide young people are faced with unemployment. Let’s unite and come in numbers. Let’s not expect something to be done and yet we are not doing anything,” she said.

Pretoria News