Congress of the South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) in the Western Cape and its allies have called on the government to intervene in what they call an economic crisis in the country.
Cosatu, the South African Communist Party (SACP), South African National Civic Organisation (SANCO) and the African National Congress (ANC) marched to the City of Cape Town and Parliament to outline their grievances.
Their main concern is rising prices of basic needs, including water and electricity, food and fuel prices, among others.
Member of the SACP Central Committee, Barry Mitchell says, “We are facing a severe crisis in the cost of living. Most working families cannot survive from month to month. They are heavily indebted, the cost of food is extremely expensive, and transport is expensive. So, it’s basically an assault on the workers and the working class in the country. So, we are coming out in support of the workers of Cosatu today to say there must be a solution and an alternative to this terrible situation facing our people and the crisis facing our people. We are proposing that we must develop cooperatives on farms to make sure that this terrible situation facing our people is arrested.”
Meanwhile, Deputy Minister of Employment and Labour, Judith Nemadzinga-Tshabalala, says the government recognises the increasing cost of food prices and other basic needs affecting the citizens of this country, including the working class.
She spoke outside Parliament while receiving a memorandum of grievance submitted by Cosatu and its allies.
“I wish to acknowledge the leadership of Cosatu and all its affiliates, alliance partners, workers and community members who have exercised their constitutional right to assemble, march and petition government on matters that affect their livelihoods and well-being of the concerns raised today. They reflect the real challenges that are faced by many South Africans as they contend with the rising cost of living, unemployment, poverty and inequality.”
Mpumalanga
In Mpumalanga, Cosatu has urged the government to seek ways to alleviate the burden on workers due to high living expenses.
Cosatu’s deputy president Mike Shingange made this call during their demonstration at the Matsamo Mall in Jeppes Reef, Mpumalanga, earlier today.
This action was part of the union’s nationwide demonstrations aimed at addressing the rising cost of living.
It was also in support of members of the South African Commercial, Catering and Allied Workers Union (SACCAWU), who also came to voice their frustrations over workplace exploitation.
Shingange says that workers in the retail industry continue to earn below the national minimum wage.
“We do think that the majority of the communities in the country are unable to afford this cost of living, including the fact that their salaries and wages are not increasing. They end up being indebted because once the salary disappears or goes down, workers then go to our machine to try and get something, and then they keep being deeply, deeply indebted. So, we are making a call to employers, to the government, to ensure that they provide relief to our workers, to our communities. They must ensure that at least every employer adheres to the national minimum wage so that workers can have decent salaries.”
#COSATU launches the cost of living campaign across nine provinces against rising costs of food, fuel, transport, rent, municipal rates, electricity and other basic necessities#CosatuNationalActionAgainstCostofLiving @SAfmRadio pic.twitter.com/mSwb6VyFG8
— @COSATU Today (@_cosatu) June 19, 2026
-Report by Mlamli Maneli & Michael Mdluli
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