Image via ANA
Image via ANA
It’s D-Day for the organisers of the upcoming bank strike in South Africa, and those who oppose it on Wednesday. The matter is heading to court, as trade union Sasbo take on business-interest group Busa – the latter of whom have applied for an interdict against the mass protest action.
Bank strike: Where and when protests will take place
If the eleventh-hour intervention fails to stop Sasbo in their tracks, then Friday could see one of the biggest industry protests in recent memory take place. The union represents about 70 000 workers in the banking sector, and their General Secretary Joe Kokela expects approximately half of them will down tools by the end of the week.
Cape Town, Johannesburg, Durban, Port Elizabeth and Bloemfontein have been listed as the planned venues for the potential bank strike, which are set to get underway at 10:00 on 27 September. Concerned citizens have already been advised on how to plan ahead, but it seems more woe is on the cards for commuters.
Motorists advised to “fill-up” their petrol tanks
Kokela, speaking to SABC, suggested that motorists will have to ensure they have enough petrol or diesel in their cars before Friday’s bank strike begins. He claims that there will be a “transactional shutdown”, and a lack of banking staff on-duty will exacerbate any financial problems they may encounter:
“We are trying to bring the banks to their senses. We want to get their attention and make the public aware of the conditions our members work under. Between 5 000 – 10 000 jobs have been lost in the banking sector in the past year. We are asking the bank what they can do to help this situation?”
“The ATM might also not be working on the day of the strike and even those who are using the swipe machines, those machines might not be working. We are appealing to the people, especially the motorists that they better make sure that on Thursday they fill up their petrol tanks. We are appealing that they withdraw enough cash on Thursday.”
Joe Kokela
Bank strike: Why workers are set to protest
Sasbo are upset with the increased “digitalisation” of banking practices, blaming it for causing significant retrenchments at major banks like Standard Bank and ABSA. The workforce have had enough, and unless groundbreaking legal interventions are made later in the day, the bank strike will firmly grip South Africa.
General Secretary of Society of Bank Officials – SASBO – Joe Kokela has warned South African bank users to withdraw money and fill up their tanks on Thursday. This comes ahead of SASBO's strike on Friday against job losses. #sabcnews
— KiratLalla (@KiratLalla) September 24, 2019
