Unions affiliated to the Confederation of SA Trade Unions (COSATU) are calling members out on strike on 4 August in protest against the government’s “lacklustre” approach to rising crime rates in Cape Town.
Cosatu provincial secretary Malvern de Bruyn told a briefing on Wednesday that all spheres of government “don’t respect ordinary people.” He said they “undermine the safety of the poor in the province.”
De Bruyn said the federation is demanding that the national ANC and provincial DA governments end gang violence, conduct regular police patrols in industrial area, improve safety at railway stations and allow communities to evaluate their police stations.
“He said COSATU had applied for 3000 people to participate in the protected strike. “We plan to bring the economy to a standstill so that the government can see how angry workers are.”
The federation plans to deliver a list of demands to the City of Cape Town’s law enforcement department, the Western Cape premier, and the national police minister.
Michael Helu, provincial secretary of the Agricultural Food and Allied Democratic Workers Union, said communities with higher crime rates needed adequate police resources.
“Khayelitsha has more than a million residents. Constantia has far fewer people, but has an adequate number of police and private security,” he said.
“If you are poor, you don’t need security, and if you have money or live in a certain area, then you need security. That is how government treats our citizens,” said Helu.
GroundUp has requested comment from the SA Police Service.
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Picture: @_cosatu / Twitter