Cosatu pushes for voting day to be declared non trading day
Cosatu argues this will allow workers to go to voting stations without fear of losing their jobs.
The Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) is pushing for election day to be declared a non-trading day for non-essential workers, along with an extension of voting hours. Cosatu believes this will allow workers to go to voting stations without fearing job loss. The proposal comes after the Electoral Commission of South Africa reported a lower voter turnout in the recent local government elections, with only 15.2 million South Africans voting out of 29 million registered voters.
Cosatu's parliamentary coordinator, Matthew Parks, explains that workers in restaurants and security guards are unable to vote because their shifts end before the voting stations close. Cosatu plans to present three proposals to the government and Parliament, including the idea of making election day a non-trading day for non-essential workers.
The South African Federation of Trade Unions (Saftu) also supports Cosatu's proposal, highlighting the significant drop in voter turnout compared to previous years. Some portfolio committees, such as Home Affairs and Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, have acknowledged the proposal but have not yet received the official submission.
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