Nehawu members held a picket at the Department of Employment and Labour’s labour centre in Durban.
Nehawu (National Education, Health and Allied Workers' Union) held a picket at the Department of Employment and Labour's labour centre in Durban on Thursday as they commemorated the World Federation of Trade Unions’ (WFTU) International Day of Action.
Nehawu KZN deputy secretary Ntokozo Nxumalo emphasised the significance of the picket, raising concerns about the working conditions of employees at the labour centre.
“Our biggest concern with the labour centre in Durban is safety, and as the custodians of employment and labour, the Department of Employment and Labour should treat its employees with care as well,” Nxumalo said.
The picket was part of a broader campaign to raise awareness about the challenges faced by workers in South Africa and beyond, with Nehawu choosing key locations to highlight specific concerns.
In addition to Durban, pickets were also held at Harry Gwala Hospital in the Harry Gwala Region and uThukela Health District in the Magwaza Maphalala region.
“These are not isolated issues. The concerns we’re raising at these workplaces reflect the broader problems faced by the working class in South Africa. Safety, job security, and dignified working conditions should be the minimum standard across all sectors,” Nxumalo added.
Nehawu’s actions aligned with the broader demands of the WFTU, which marks October 3 of each year as an International Day of Action to honour its founding anniversary.
The WFTU’s statement called for "significant wage increases, stable work with full rights, a 35-hour workweek without any wage reduction, health and safety in all workplaces, and universal access to quality healthcare, education, and social security."
According to Nxumalo, the union's pickets aimed to make these demands visible not only to the public but also to the authorities responsible for worker welfare.
“We have picked a few workplaces to hold our pickets, but the issues we are raising are not limited to those places.
These are issues that affect a broader community of workers,” he said. The WFTU, celebrating its 79th anniversary this year, used the occasion to underscore the importance of class struggle and solidarity in the fight for workers' rights.
In its statement, the Federation argued that despite advancements in technology and productivity, workers worldwide continue to face deteriorating conditions while wealth is concentrated in the hands of a few.
“Our sweat and toil are reaped by a handful of business groups. This can be changed to meet the needs of the working class,” the statement read.
The Mercury
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