AIDC Alternative Information & Development Centre
The South African Federation of Trade Union (SAFTU) and working-class formations, including the Assembly of the Unemployed are embarking on a national shutdown on 24 August 2022. The national shutdown is taking up demands against the rising cost of living and the government’s neoliberal austerity agenda.
This is an important initiative in a context of a deepening socio-economic and political crisis in the country manifested in mass unemployment with close to 13 million people unemployed and more than half the population living on an income of below R1335 per month.
The Alternative Information & Development Centre (AIDC) is in full solidarity with the National Shutdown and we are in support of demands to:
End austerity and introduce a decent basic income grant of R1500 for people aged 18 to 59 years old and create decent work; Stop the privatization of our energy system and #FixEskom. Invest to transform Eskom into a fully-public renewable energy utility that provides households with at least 200kwh per household, per month; andMore public services including investing in our education, health care and municipal services, and filling the more than 160 000 vacancies in the public sector. Instead of cutting the wages of education and health care workers, ministers, MPs and other top-earning government officials can agree to reduce their total salary package.
We have shown that South Africa has a huge amount of resources that can be harnessed for an alternative economic policy that prioritises the needs of the people and the planet. This includes ending corruption and the looting of the state, taxing the rich and implementing a progressive net wealth tax.
In solidarity with the National Shutdown, AIDC will close its offices on the 24th of August and join the mobilisations taking place around the country.
Aluta continua!
For more information contact Busi Mtabane at busi@aidc.org.za or 083 329 7844
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