A ”huge contingent” of Johannesburg metro police will direct traffic in the central city on Monday for a march by metal and engineering workers.
”We are preparing for 22 000 demonstrators,” said chief superintendent Wayne Minnaar on Monday morning.
”Traffic will be diverted as the march proceeds but the city will be congested between midday and 3pm.”
Members of the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) and Solidarity will march, said Numsa spokesperson Mziwakhe Hlangani.
A memorandum with a list of demands would be delivered to Metal Industry House in Anderson Street.
Minnaar said marchers would leave Beyers Naude Square at midday for Anderson Street.
Roads affected would be Anderson, Commissioner, Market, Rissik, Harrison and Simmonds.
On Sunday, Solidarity deputy general secretary Dirk Hermann said negotiations had failed over the weekend between the trade unions and employers’ organisations in the metal and engineering bargaining council.
The employers are offering between 7,3% and 7,8% and the trade unions are demanding 10%.
Hermann said Monday would be the launch of ”probably the largest strike in the private sector” this year.
He said 260 000 employees at more than 9 000 companies were to take part in the strike. – Sapa