WHILE others commemorated Workers' Day, Build One South Africa (Bosa) marched against unemployment.
High unemployment, high cost of living, and load shedding led Bosa to hold a non-workers' Day mass protest in Gqeberha, Eastern Cape, on Wednesday, 1 May.
Bosa leader Mmusi Maimane and his deputy Nobuntu Hlazo Webster led hundreds of supporters in the streets of KwaZakhele to hand over a memorandum to the Department of Employment and Labour representative.
The province boasts the highest levels of unemployment in the country, as 41.9% of job seekers can't find work.
The reality of the unemployment crisis was highlighted by the staggering response to a job advertisement in Gqeberha on 25 April.
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Maimane said Bosa's focus in the upcoming elections has been on putting a job in every home.
"Our jobs plan intends to foster and free up citizens to do the vital work of creating new jobs, new wealth, and a vibrant, growing economy. Rather than believe the lie the government is putting forward about load shedding, let's fix Eskom to make sure lights stay on," said Maimane.
"Let's make sure the ports here in Nelson Mandela Bay work so that goods can move, and let's also fix passenger rails so that citizens, when they're travelling to and from work, don't have to spend so much."
Maimane had proposed that R200 billion be invested in the township economy.
"That will stimulate small businesses and increase manufacturing in this particular province by making sure goods such as microwaves and kettles are manufactured here."
Department of Employment and Labour, Nelson Mandela Bay regional manager, Mike Ngqolowa said the memorandum would be sent to the proper structures on Thursday, 2 May.
