DA supporters were urged to take off their blue shirts as violence broke out yesterday, lest they be targeted by the Cosatu mob.

Yesterday, 2oceansVibe brought you images from Johannesburg city centre where a DA-led march against trade union body Cosatu turned violent, leading police to turn water cannons on protestors, as well as teargas. In the resulting fracas, journalists and DA supporters were injured.

The principal issue brought by the DA during the march on the trade union’s headquarters was Cosatu’s continued opposition to the DA’s proposed youth wage subsidy. The DA believes the subsidy could assist over 400 000 young South Africans find work, while Cosatu maintains that the subsidy, in the words of Cosatu Secretary General Zwelenzima Vavi, would “use workers’ tax money to enrich company bosses and has to be opposed.”

In a statement following yesterdays protest, spokesperson for Cosatu Patrick Craven praised the Cosatu members for causing the DA protest’s “ignominious retreat”.

“Regrettably, there was some confusion amongst the demonstrators as to precisely where the DA’s memorandum would be handed over,” he told News 24.

He added, “This led to a confrontation… during which there were a few incidents of stone-throwing by individuals, which led to a number of injuries by people on both sides of the confrontation. We wish them all a full recovery.”

Craven explained why Cosatu was so visibly opposed to the DA’s memorandum,

“DA policies… will create no new jobs… and [will] lead to the impoverishment and enslavement of workers and [an] economic meltdown for South Africa,” he said.

“That is why workers are so hostile towards Helen Zille’s party and want to express their justified anger, most especially when there are confronted on the street outside their federation’s head office.”

[Source: News 24, IOL]