The strike has been called by the Congress of South African Trade Unions, the largest trade union confederation in the country and a traditional ally of the ruling ANC. The union now says the ANC has betrayed the working class

The National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union of South Africa warned that its 200,000 public workers will strike on Sept. 10 if their concerns are not addressed.

Nearly 3,000 guards embarked on an indefinite strike on January 21 to demand the payment of their wages. Their employers claim that they are unable to pay as the government department which has contracted them has not released funds

The layoffs are being overseen by Mitch Slape who was appointed as the CEO of Massmart in September 2019, reportedly at the behest of Walmart which acquired majority shares in the company in 2011

The “rescue plan” for Eskom unveiled by the South African minister for public enterprises proposes the unbundling of the state-owned company and increases reliance on private Independent Power Producers, which the unions claim, is the root cause of Eskom’s financial troubles.

The strike called by the South African Society of Bank Officials over mass layoffs was interdicted by a judge on the basis of a technicality

The newly formed party which is contesting in the May 8 elections has unveiled a number of proposals to transform the social and economic spheres of the country