The role of trade unions in SA's democracy

'If the unions in South Africa were to be done away with, and replaced by a neo-liberal programme, the social costs would be devastating.' These are the comments of Vashna Jagarnath, from Socialists Revolutionary Workers' Party. This comment forms part of a debate as to whether trade unions' fight for a living wage and opposition to retrenchments, are responsible for the country's economic crisis, or whether the ruling party and capitalists are the reason.
With us now to discuss this are Andrew Chirwa, from the National Union of Metal Workers of South Africa, NUMSA, the head of Strategic Engagement at the Institute for Race Relations, Sara Gon and the General Secretary of Solidarity Trade Union, Gideon Du Plessis.