A campaign will be developed to educate workers on staging violence-free protests, Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi said on Thursday.
“We have instructed all affiliates and provincial structures to develop education programmes and campaigns to educate members on their responsibility to keep all strikes and demonstrations violence-free,” he told reporters in Johannesburg.
“We hate violence like everyone else … but violence is a societal problem in South Africa.”
Vavi said violence extended beyond the labour market and could not be solved by a “quick, knee-jerk” reaction.
Last week, at least three people were killed and several others injured during an illegal strike by Impala Platinum workers in Rustenburg.
The strike started over a month ago when rock-drill operators downed tools over unhappiness that they did not receive the same retention bonuses as miners. — Sapa