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Cosatu warns of food riots
14/04/2008 19:31 - (SA)
Johannesburg - Riots over soaring food prices could not be ruled out in South Africa, the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) said on Monday.
"We could not rule out similar riots (to those in other countries) in this country and that is why it is necessary to take the lead in channelling that anger into peaceful protests," said spokesperson Patrick Craven.
The cost of basic foods has risen sharply around the world in recent months, sparking violent protests in many countries, including Egypt, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Mauritania, Ethiopia, Madagascar, the Philippines and Indonesia. Where is the extra money going?
"There are many people who feel very angry and need to give vent to their feelings - especially in those cases where rising costs are not due to the global crisis, but to price fixing and colluding," Craven said. He said Cosatu wanted the entire food chain to be investigated. Farmers claimed that the price at which they sold their produce had no relation to the price in the supermarkets, he said.
"We want to know where the extra money is going, it is certainly not going to the workers. We know that."
The protests would also focus on companies that had been found guilty of price fixing in Competition Commission rulings.
Cosatu would demand a reduction in the price of bread as a refund to customers for being overcharged and would ask for a zero value added tax rating on basic foods, as well as subsidies for the poor.
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