14 May 2008

DENOSA supports COSATU CEC decision to march against the rise in cost of living

The Congress of South African Trade Unions Central Executive Committee (COSATU CEC) has taken a decision to mobilise workers countrywide for a march on Saturday, 17 May 2008.

The march is amongst other things, informed by the unchecked rise in food prices, energy prices, fuel prices and many more challenges facing workers and the poor.

DENOSA fully supports the march and has already commenced with the process of mobilising nurses countrywide to join the march on Saturday in their numbers. With their modest salaries nurses are affected adversely by this abnormal and continuous increase in cost of living. We feel we cannot sit down and do nothing.

We want to reiterate that wage increases granted to workers, nurses in particular, hardly keep pace with the steep rises in inflation in general and food inflation. We must therefore intensify the COSATU campaigns efforts to exempt basic foodstuffs from VAT.

Moreover nurses will also be marching in protest of rise in private healthcare tariffs that are indeed paralysing access to health care.

DENOSA calls on nurses all over the country to come out and support the march on Saturday and send the strongest possible message to the government. We are saying enough is enough!

-End-

Issued by:
Asanda Fongqo
DENOSA Communications Officer
Tel. no. 012 343 2315 Ext 235
Cell no. 079 875 2663