Actor Danny Glover met with South African President Jacob Zuma at a union protest in downtown Johannesburg, Thursday.
The 66-year-old award-winning actor spoke at a Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (Popcru) demonstration, where police officials and administrative staff rallied for higher wages and safer work conditions.
Glover, who himself is a labor rights activist, traveled to South Africa as a delegation member of the United Automobile Workers Union of America (UWA), where he is calling for international support for auto workers in Canton, Mississippi, the South African Broadcasting Corporation reported.
"I'm here on behalf of all the workers in Mississippi," Glover said, standing at a podium in the middle of the protest, his voice cracking with passion. "We are all supporting each other, we must stand together!"
Glover went on to say that he was an anti-apartheid activist as a student, during the movement for South African freedom in the early 70s.
"The life of South Africa has been part of my life," he said. "The history of South Africa has been part of my life... [as] someone who used the platform of the incredible work of the great South African playwright Athol Fugard to manifest and build my career. There's always a good relationship that I have with this extraordinary country."
President of the UWA Bob King stood by Glover's side as he spoke. The two were invited to South Africa by the National Union of Metalworkers in South Africa, according to the Associated Press.
Popcru demonstrators assembled in the city of Durban the day before with demands that the South African Police Service (SAPS) enact an agreement that will up staff pay, as well as organize career plans for the administrative members of staff.
"We are not going to sleep as our members are earning peanuts," union chairperson Jeff Dladla said at Wednesday's rally.
One Jacobs police garage employee named Nicholas Duma said he has worked for 25 years as a driver and clerk with a measly salary of less than 10,000 rand a month-that translates to about 997 dollars every pay period.
Duma spoke at the protest, saying he has slowly accrued a hefty debt as he takes out loan after loan to feed his wife and four children.
Hundreds of demonstrators marched in the streets carrying signs bearing the slogans, "Away with slavery packages," and "Away with level three salaries for 20 years."
