ANC wants violent strikers reined in

ANC wants violent strikers reined in
August 24 2011 at 09:00am



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Jabulani Sikhakhane

THE ANC has condemned violence during strikes and called on its alliance partner, Cosatu, to rein in its affiliates.

The ruling party’s national executive committee (NEC) had expressed serious concern about violence during strikes, ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe said yesterday.

Mantashe was briefing journalists on the outcome of the NEC’s special four-day marathon meeting, which started last Friday and ended on Monday evening.

Violence, including the trashing of streets, assaulting of people and the looting of hawkers’ goods, undermined the rule of law and the objectives of strike actions, the ANC said in a statement that echoed Labour Minister Mildred Oliphant’s words during the chemical, metal and engineering workers’ strike last month.

The ruling party also called on Cosatu “to give effective leadership to its affiliates regarding strike action”.

Mantashe described as “criminality and not striking” the looting of goods from hawkers, whom he described as the poorest of the poor.

In condemning violence during strikes, the ANC joins business and the official opposition, who are now pushing for changes to labour laws to make it possible for unions to be sued for damages arising out of violence during strikes.

Business Unity South Africa, the umbrella business group, has said that applying for interdicts in the Labour Courts has yet to show results.


The DA’s proposed amendment will be debated by the parliamentary committee on Private Members’ Legislative Proposals and Special Petitions next Wednesday.

The Star

Comments by Sonny

The ANC created "Violence in SA' when it suited them.

Now they are running scared of the monsters they created!!

Similar to Mugabe in Zimbabwe!