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In a media statement released today, the President of the South African Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SACCI), Mr Chose Choeu, said:

It with grave concern that the South African Chamber of Commerce and Industry notes that trade unions in the transport sector have mobilised to strike. SACCI recognises the right of workers to “down tools”, but the strategy of embarking on protest action of such far-reaching consequences without having completely exhausted all possibilities around the negotiating table is ill-conceived.

Both through its direct impact and more significantly through its indirect impact, the current strikes threaten to leave a large proportion of the South African economy unproductive. There appears to be scant concern for the adverse consequences that the present tide of protest action will have on economic growth, employment, job creation and both domestic and foreign direct investment. This, at a time when South Africa still carries the stigma of widespread strike action in 2010 and continues to grapple with a weak domestic economic recovery. The sporadic acts of violence and intimidation that have occurred are also strongly condemned.

In a recent survey of SACCI members, high levels of protest action and the rigidity of the labour market were cited as key reasons for the private sector being reticent in making greater contributions to the challenge of employment creation.