Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu on Tuesday condemned the recent trashing of streets by striking municipal workers, saying their behaviour did not advance the cause of unionism.

"I get annoyed when people trash streets and say that they are exercising their rights. They exercise their rights by infringing on other people's rights," he said in Durban.

Speaking at the 25th anniversary of TREE, an organisation that specialises in early childhood development, Tutu said many had died for rights and freedom in South Africa.

"Is this the freedom we fought for? People who died while fighting for these rights must be turning in their graves."

Tutu also raised concerns about affirmative action and expressed dissatisfaction with how it was implemented.

"I believe in affirmative action, but the way we have done it gives affirmative action a bad name. We put people in positions where they are bound to fail."

He said the correct way to do it was by putting people under the tutelage of those who had experience.

"We have had collapses in some towns such as Mthatha because of affirmative action that went wrong. We must acknowledge where we have made mistakes."