Cosatu: Employees cannot be forced to work on election day

South Africans will on Wednesday cast their ballots in country’s sixth democratic election.

According to the trade union federation’s spokesperson Sizwe Pamla this is most prevalent in the retail sector. 

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“We want to remind workers that they do have a right to exercise their constitutional right. Election day is regarded as a holiday, meaning they have a right to go and vote.

 "They need not be intimidated by those employers who have a total disregard for those workers’ right. We are making it very clear that if they feel uncomfortable and not sure, they are welcomed to approach Cosatu," Pamla says. 

 Pamla believes the government should have declared election das a day of non-trading a long time ago.

"We think that this is a lesson that government is failing to learn, because we have been saying that this day should be regarded as a non-trading holiday.

"The president and the entire cabinet have been refusing to do this and unfortunately this is going to deny many South Africans of an opportunity to exercise their democratic right."

Cosatu says Business Unity South Africa also need to condemn all employers who are intimidating workers.