SAFTU is calling on Godongwana to increase public sector budget saying that over 80 % of the population depends on public services. The labour federation says it does not want an anti-poor budget.

SAFTU Spokesperson, Newton Masuku says the protest serves to put the needs of the working class under the spotlight, “At the core of the team of this year's protest, we are saying they must end austerity, we are opposed to austerity. As I have said, about 87% of the population depends on public healthcare system.

And then the nurse to patient ratio, the doctor to nurse ratio is such that it's impracticable for those professionals to render services to the public because they do not have sufficient funding from the national treasury, the same is applicable to education applicable to Home Affairs, applicable to policing and so forth and so on.

So you can't on the one hand say you want to build a capable state while continuing to cut budget in pursuit of primary budget surplus.”

--ChannelAfrica--