Demonstrations hit South Africa

South African police expected tens of thousands of people to join nationwide demonstrations organized by the Congress of South African Trade Unions, known as COSATU. The strikers want the African National Congress-led government to scrap planned tolls to pay for road upgrades in the Johannesburg area, also to ban the labour-broker firms which supply temporary workers.

“It is about the labour brokers and it is about the toll roads, but I think there is another issue at hand as well,” said. Günther Simmermacher, the editor of the Catholic weekly The Southern Cross.

He told Vatican Radio it is also a show of political strength ahead of this year’s leadership contest in the African National Congress.

“Five years ago the trade union movement was part of a broader coalition that helped to unseat Thabo Mbeki in favour of the current president, Jacob Zuma,” Simmermacher said. “At the moment, it is unclear which side COSATU is going to take in the leadership contest that is going to take place this year, but today’s strike certainly is intended to put Mr. Zuma on notice.”

Listen to full interview with Günther Simmermacher: