Zuma warns against anarchy, Numsa calls for unions to leave Cosatu
President Jacob Zuma has warned against what he says are anarchists who seek to disrupt the peace in South Africa.
He was speaking at Cosatu's main May Day rally at Moretele Park in Mamelodi, east of Pretoria.
"Our country is faced with a difficulty today of counter-revolutionaries disguised in many guises and we have got to expose them for the people to know who they are. Our task for now, is to mobilise for the elections," Zuma said.
The comment was seemingly in reference to recent remarks by EFF leader Julius Malema, who told international news channel, Al Jazeera that they would remove Zuma's government through the barrel of a gun if they were forced to.
Speaking on labour issues, Zuma also reminded workers that their rights are enshrined in the Constitution.
"These rights include among many, the right to fair labour practice; the right to form and join trade unions, strike and picket," he added.
Meanwhile, labour unions who are calling for a new federation to rival Cosatu say workers need to unite now more than ever.
Some 3000 workers, some of them members of metalworkers union Numsa which was expelled from Cosatu, gathered in Tembisa, east of Johannesburg yesterday for their May Day celebration.
The crowd was addressed by former Cosatu general-secretary, Zwelinzima Vavi who was also kicked out of the trade union federation.
"Never have workers had a greater need for the protection of strong trade unions and a powerful, united federation to defend jobs. Cosatu has become a shadow of its former self," Vavi said.
Echoing his sentiments, Numsa general-secretary Irvin Jim told worker their target with a new federation would be at least 70 percent of all unorganised workers.
"And many other unions who are agree with us [and are still] in Cosatu, they must quickly get out of Cosatu and come to the new federation," Jim said.
But Cosatu thinks forming a new trade union federation on the basis of being expelled from another federation is not a good idea.
Speaking at the Workers' Day celebrations at Curries Fountain Stadium in Durban, the trade union federation's national general-secretary Bheki Ntshalintshali said such a move would not unite workers, but rather divide them.
"But you can't build a new federation based on [rebellion] - all those who are unhappy with Cosatu to come together? It won't happen in our view, it won't work. They have just introspect and [ask themselves] what is best for workers. They know exactly what they did which we expelled them for," Ntshalintshali said.
The Durban rally was attended by thousands and addressed by tripartite alliance leaders including ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe and SACP deputy secretary-general, Jeremy Cronin.
Below are pictures from the Durban May Day rally:
Photos: Nushera Soodyal