Information reaching Kossyderrickent has it that President Cyril Ramaphosa was forced to abandon his Workers’ Day address after mining workers booed him and stormed the stage. (Read More Here).
Ramaphosa was scheduled to give a keynote address at the Cosatu rally in Rustenburg, North West, but had to be whisked away as angry workers staged a protest and demanded he leave.
Among their chief concerns was a demand for a R1,000 annual salary increase for Sibanye-Stillwater gold mine workers.
The workers have been on a three-month-long strike after the mine rejected their demand and instead offered an R800 annual increase, which is being rejected.
The disgruntled workers said they could not allow Ramaphosa to address them until he dealt with their salary concerns, which they said he knew about.
The Cosatu rally was delayed by more than five hours as the labour federation struggled to fill seats at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium.
As they neared the stage, the president addressed them while they were shouting: “He must go!”
Ramaphosa chuckled and said he had heard them.
“You want your R1 000,” he added.
The striking workers at Sibanye’s gold operations demand an R1 000 increase per year. The company is currently offering R800 increase each year, plus an annual R50 increase in the living out allowance.
“I understand that. You want the employers to give you R1 000. We’ve heard your message, and we will be dealing with that matter,” Ramaphosa said.
Ramaphosa’s words did not have the desired effect.
He left the stage, along with SACP leader Blade Nzimande and Cosatu leader Zingiswa Losi, escorted by the police. They entered a police Nyala and left the stadium.
The event was seemingly abandoned at that point.
Video below:
Everything Cyril Ramaphosa touches turns to dust, Now Workers want to Moer Ramaphosa’s big nose, IssaMess the center is not holding, The Souls of Marikana People will keep haunting Him🤞🤣 pic.twitter.com/wapoSt99rl
— TshidisoFeela🇿🇦🇷🇺❤️🖤💚 (@TshidisoFeela) May 1, 2022
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