The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) welcomes the list of winter and children’s clothing and home textiles issued by Government yesterday, as it expands the range of products that working families can buy very significantly.

The Federation condemns the hysterical and childish criticism of the Democratic Alliance, who never misses an opportunity to grandstand and play to the gallery. They simply want to ignore the pandemic and want all the comforts that they have always had.

The facts are simple: the regulations issued by Government are meant to limit the movement of people during Level 4. It contained a list of products that are available by retailers under Level 4 lockdown. This included winter-clothes and children’s clothes.

Our members were unclear what clothes and footwear their factories could make and what the retail stores could sell. Lack of clarity is not good for workers, consumers, or businesses. 

The labour movement, as well as retailers and manufacturers, asked Government to publish a list to clarify what is covered under the headings of winter-clothes and children’s clothes.

We asked that the list be as wide as possible so that we do not miss out garments and textiles that are needed in winter.

The list was developed in a cooperative manner and was supported by retailers, manufacturers, and workers.

COSATU believes this list is wide enough to get the next phase of restarting industry going and fully supports it. It will create jobs and give consumers a much wider variety of clothes to buy at stores.

We support the decision by government to hear the voices of industry and to publish the list of clothing and home textiles. We call on the DA not to play with the lives of our people with its reckless rhetoric. They seem to want to open at all costs. Our lives matter. Worker lives matter. 

Issued by COSATU