Celebrating the power of labour: South Africa’s International Workers’ Day
Every year on the 1st of May, South Africa stands still to honour the indomitable spirit of its working-class men and women. This day, known as International Workers’ Day or May Day, is a public holiday that pays tribute to the historical struggles of workers and their trade unions for solidarity and fair employment standards.
This year, the theme for Workers’ Day and month is “30 Years of Freedom”.
This year, marks the 133rd anniversary of May Day, a testament to the enduring legacy of the labour movement. Emerging from the prolonged battle for workers’ rights and social justice in the late 19th century, Workers’ Day has been celebrated as an international holiday in numerous countries since 1891. South Africa, a nation with its own extensive and complex history of labour disputes and social conflicts, is no exception.
In South Africa, the journey began with the formation of the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) in December 1985. Cosatu’s demand for May Day to be recognized as a public holiday and renamed Workers’ Day was heeded by approximately 1.5 million workers. They were joined by thousands of school pupils, students, taxi drivers, hawkers, shopkeepers, domestic workers, and self-employed, and unemployed people. Despite many of these rallies being banned in advance by the Apartheid Government, they were held across the country, with the majority in the Pretoria-Witwatersrand-Vereeniging area, now known as Gauteng.
Since the inaugural democratic elections in 1994, Workers’ Day has been officially acknowledged and commemorated in South Africa. This holiday serves dual purposes: it is a celebration of workers’ rights and a poignant reminder of the pivotal role that trade unions, the Communist Party, and other labour organizations played in the struggle against Apartheid.
Workers’ Day in South Africa carries its unique cultural significance. The public holiday has come to symbolise not only the sacrifices made in the arduous journey towards fair employment standards but also the fierce battle against Apartheid, where trade and labour unions played a crucial role.
Given that South Africa’s working classes were the most oppressed under Apartheid, the fight for improved working conditions and the battle to dismantle systemic segregation became inextricably linked. Prior to the 1994 elections, labour and trade groups frequently used Workers’ Day as a rallying symbol against the segregation and oppression of the Apartheid regime, organising demonstrations and fostering widespread resistance. This day serves as a testament to their resilience and determination.
On this day, the Government calls upon you to pay tribute to all the workers of South Africa, especially the frontline workers who continue to provide essential services even on this holiday. This includes doctors, nurses, other medical staff, members of the Police Services and the SA National Defence Force, as well as workers who provide other essential services, such as our farmers and farm workers, supermarket and chemist staff, staff of security companies, and all other workers who provide essential services during this time.
We honour and salute you, our unsung heroes – the workers of South Africa! Your contributions are the backbone of our nation, and today, we celebrate you.
The Department of Employment and Labour on behalf of the government wishes you all a happy worker’s day.
