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South Africa

Unions and left slam Zuma's strike stance

South Africa’s public sector strike has opened up a deep rift between President Jacob Zuma and his erstwhile supporters in the trade unions and the youth wing of the ruling ANC.

Reuters
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Zuma statements, such as a call on strikers to show “basic humanity” in their fight for higher wages, have caused his former allies to turn against him, damaging his chances of serving a second term.

The unions are taking Zuma to task for visiting China during the strike, which is turning increasingly nasty with workers threatening to bring the country to its knees if government doesn’t better its wage offer.

The unions have also critcised Zuma’s polygamous lifestyle in statements which would have unthinkable a year ago.

The head of the labour umbrella body Cosatu, Zwelinzima Vavi, referred to Zuma’s administration as a full blown predator state, run by corrupt and demagogic hyenas.

ANC Youth League leader Julius Malema, who once said he’d die for Zuma, now claims that the children and friends of those in power accumulating wealth at the expense of the people.

Zuma’s son Duduzane became a billionaire overnight and the president’s nephew Khulubuse went from taxi owner to mining magnate at an establishment where workers haven’t been paid for months.
 

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