S.Africa's ANC expects no strikes during World Cup

Published>Fri, May 28 10 05:47 PM

South Africa's ruling African National Congress does not expect its labour ally COSATU to embark on strike action during the soccer World Cup, ANC Secretary-General Gwede Mantashe said on Friday.

COSATU said this week it may strike over power price increases during the month-long World Cup, action which could affect the event and embarrass President Jacob Zuma's government.

"Our understanding is COSATU has made it clear over and over they are not intending to strike. We take that in good faith that there will not be any strikes during (the) World Cup," Mantashe told a news briefing in London.

South African transport workers on Thursday ended a three-week strike which disrupted railways and ports in Africa's biggest economy.

Economists and the central bank have criticised recent strikes saying unions are trying to hold the government and state enterprises to ransom by staging strikes close to the World Cup, to squeeze pay hikes above inflation of 5.1 percent.

Mantashe said South Africa is fully prepared for the June 11-July 11 World Cup.

"We will host the best World Cup ever. People who come to the World Cup will feel the warmth and generosity of the South African people. We want to send this message despite all that is reported in the papers."

Matashe reiterated that the nationalisation of South Africa's mines is not ANC policy, despite efforts by outspoken ANC Youth League leader Julius Malema to push for mines to be taken over by the state.

"At this point of time there is no policy in the ANC that says we will nationalise mines. We emphasise that Malema is president of the youth league but (he) is not dictating the policy of the ANC," Mantashe said.

Malema said earlier this week that nationalisation of the mines was being discussed by the ANC's decision-making National Executive Committee.

Although the influence of mining on South Africa's gross domestic product has declined, particularly as gold reserves become exhausted, the sector remains one of the country's major employers.

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