Workers' Day | Informal traders snub Workers’ Day, cite lack of Govt support

Hinzugefügt: 2026-05-06

[00:00:00]Reporting from the Polokwane Central Business District where of course this specific portion of the Polokwane town is characterized largely by people that trade informally. Of course this on the 1st of May where of course globally International Workers' Day is being observed and this is where Cosatu in the province has also I mean Cosatu has also held its May Day rally in Limpopo of course joined by the ANC as well as SACP as well as a Sanko. I'm going to speak to some of the informal traders because it appears to be business as usual for some of these informal traders. Hi there. Please tell me your name and surname. My name is Chawatse Mareke.

[00:00:43]Chawatse, thank you so much for talking to us. Today is International Workers' Day. Do you know about it and what does it symbolize for you? All right.

[00:00:53]Firstly, I would like to can say about it according to me it's just an holiday like any other ordinary holidays. Do you understand? Why am I saying that?

[00:01:02]That it is it seems to be valuable as us as a youth these days or as something of which you can just kindly talk about? I take it as a history. Just a holiday to me. So you're saying that as a young person it's not really valuable for you?

[00:01:17]It's I actually yes for for me. Actually let let me say for me not for us. To those of which it matters it might matter to them but for me I don't see it valuable at all.

[00:01:28]And what's the reason for that? I see you are selling on the street.

[00:01:34]You are not employed formally.

[00:01:37]No, I'm not actually employed. I might say I'm just I'm not just actually I'm a self-employed individual of which you know I'm making things for myself. You understand? Not benefiting from anyone from the outside us. Do you understand right? Even you know the government itself or any other things of which I may just try to can say I get any benefit from it. No, I'm not actually.

[00:01:59]You understand? So that's why as an a freedom it's what a a Workers' Day.

[00:02:03]It's important for those of which they used to you know fight for it before. You understand right? To those of which you know it's an history to me. So now we are talking about the present time. So in this present time now I don't actually have even some good words about it now.

[00:02:20]But you are aware that today is Workers' Day right?

[00:02:23]>> Today I'm aware that it's a Workers' Day. Yes cuz it's on the calendar.

[00:02:27]>> [laughter] >> So you just don't it doesn't matter to you either. Yeah, to me it's just a normal day like any other ordinary days.

[00:02:34]It it doesn't matter to me. Thank you very much Chawatse. Strong sentiments there from the young man there Chawatse saying that essentially for him this is an ordinary public holiday and he says that he doesn't really pay attention to it as he goes about his informal trading of selling at this specific portion of the Polokwane Central Business District known as Indian Center.