Paul Nyathi|South Africa’s main workers umbrella body, Confederation Of South African Trade Unions, Cosatu, is throwing its weight behind Friday’s banking sector strike. 

The federation is backing the call from the South African Society of Bank Officials to strike against retrenchments in the sector.

“There are two planned industrial action strikes that we are going to take, both of them are highlighting the issue of job crisis, both of them are highlighting the issues that we are pleading, jobs and seemingly business is not committed to the undertakings that they have taken,” said Cosatu general secretary Bheki Ntshalintshali.

Sasbo said it will shut down the country’s banking industry and warned consumers that they can expect to be directly impacted by the strike.

Business Unity South Africa wants to interdict the action on behalf of South Africa’s commercial banks.