Cosatu Today, Tuesday 27 May 2008

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 COSATU Daily News

 

 

 

Published by the Congress of South African Trade Unions

 

1 Leyds Street, Braamfontein

 

Tel.       011 339 4911

Fax.      086 603 9667

 

Editor

Brian Sokutu

 

 

COSATU’s Spokesperson is: Patrick Craven

 

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- COSATU Today -

Our side of the story

 

Tuesday 27 May 2008

 Contents

South Africa

1.1.  Xenophobic violence claims life of Numsa shosteward

1.2.  StreetNet joins COSATU, organs of civil society in campaign against xenophobia

1.3.  Xenophobia aftermath: ANC Sonia Bunting branch observations at Clevaland Police Station 

1.4.  South Africa today - xenophobia aftermath crisis

1.5.  Free State Provincial Gender Committee  

1.6.  Address by ANC president Jacob Zuma to Liberty Life’s “Wealthworld” Summit at Sun City, Rustenburg

 

Workplace

2.1. COSATU-NUM march on Simmer and Jack

2.2. Investigate atrocities, mismanagement of funds and personnel in Westonaria - SAMWU

 

International

3.1. Xenophobia: Malawian petition to the SA Government

3.2. Zimbabwe Solidarity Forum in South Africa’s support for the Swaziland Solidarity Network against Swazi dictatorship

 

 

 

 

 

 

South Africa

 

1.1. Xenophobic violence claims life of Numsa shopsteward

 

Tribute paid to the ‘witty’ Walter Ntombela

 

Mziwakhe Hlangani, 26 May 2008

 

The latest wave of xenophobic violence has claimed the life National Union of Metalworkers’ of South Africa (Numsa) shopsteward Walter Ntombela.

 

Ntombela, who has been described by colleagues and friends as being “witty” and “exceptionally gifted” has been killed by prowling mobs, becoming one of the scores of the ongoing xenophobic violence against foreign nationals, sweeping the country.

 

A Mozambiquean national who has been a shop steward for the past 10 years, Ntombela was killed over the weekend in his home, at the East Rand Madelakufa informal settlement, outside Tembisa.

 

Grief-stricken family members and the Numsa leadership, have expressed their “deepest sorrow,” appealing to the mobs that are running riot to “stop killing before it is too late”.

 

Said Numsa: “The witty Ntombela was dearly loved by his colleagues. He died at the weekend after he was stabbed with pangas by rowdy crowds which raided foreign nationals and set his shack on fire.”

 

His wife and three children, who narrowly escaped death in the inferno of fire, have since been accommodated by police in the local community hall, awaiting to be transported to Mozambique.

 

Numsa Wits Central West regional chairman Motsamai Ponya lamented: “It is an unfathomable grief to lose a talented son of the metalworkers’ union and the most creative worker leader.”

 

The shattered Numsa chairperson described Ntombela as “a humorous and light-hearted person, and a guitarist who always joked about being a foreigner and a union activist”. 

 

Ntombela, a team leader at a tools manufacturing engineering firm in Jet Park, South East of Johannesburg’ was regarded as a workers’ struggle champion, although he was an immigrant from Mozambique.

 

He has been at the forefront of Numsa campaigns in the Ekurhuleni region. He was a chairperson of the shop stewards campaign’s committee.

 

In paying tribute to Ntombela’s death and many other foreign nationals who died at the hands of the marauding hordes throughout the country, Numsa has launched a workplace-based national education programme against xenophobia and tribalism.

 

Shopstewards committee councils across the country have distributed pamphlets against hatred of foreign national over the weekend. Local office bearers, regional and shop stewards councils are this week convening factory general meetings to explain the dangers of xenophobia and how it could spill over into tribalism attacks. It is anticipated that workers’ meetings, which began yesterday (26 May) will take place in more than 10 000 workplaces.

 

The campaign will continue until the end of June - culminate in securing among others - meetings with the national housing department to pursue the conversion of single sex hostels into family units.

 

 

1.2. StreetNet joins COSATU, organs of civil society in campaign against xenophobia

 

Pat Horn, 26 May 2008

 

 

The 300 000-member strong StreetNet International, the global federation of street vendor organisations with 34 affiliates in 30 countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America has echoed the call by the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) and organs of civil society, to end xenophobia.

 

Said StreetNet International in a statement: “We join COSATU, SACC, TAC, Social Movements Indaba, Abahlali Basemjondolo and other mass-based organisations in South African who have rallied their members against the brutal attacks against non-South African people residing in South Africa, as well as other victims of the accompanying wave of looting and destruction of the homes of poor people.”

 

The organisation said it had noted that refugees fleeing from conflicts in other African countries, and particularly from neighbouring Zimbabwe, were migrant workers or unregistered employees. It said those most vulnerable to xenophobia and discrimination, were people working in the informal economy as cross border traders in SADC countries, on the streets and in markets.

 

StreetNet International said it further noted with extreme concern:

 

·         The horrific and senseless attacks on defenceless families and workers in different parts of South Africa resulting in tragic loss of life, injury, homelessness, fear and wanton destruction of the property of the urban poor;

·         The xenophobic attacks are repugnant to all those who cherish and respect the rights of workers both in their places of work and in the community; 

·         The dangers of xenophobia spreading to markets and pavements where informal economy workers from SADC countries (including South Africans) and the rest of Africa are earning a living - being cross border traders and those who are resident in South Africa's towns and cities;

·         The erosion of the rights of all workers regardless of nationality, religion, language, race and gender to earn a living without fear.

 

The organisation called on the three tiers of Government, the private sector and members of the public to:

 

·         Respect and understand the United Nations Convention on Refugees and to prevent any form of discrimination against refugees who have the legal right to earn a living;

·         Ensure that xenophobia is controlled through public education programmes for the police, courts and citizens to respect the rights of all who live in the country to earn their livelihoods;

·         Introduce and monitor laws to regulate and allow free movement between SADC countries that will create opportunities for informal traders that will help to reduce the poverty and unemployment that is alleged to be one of the causes of xenophobic prejudice and the unacceptable use of violence that we have witnessed.

 

Said StreetNet: “We are supporting the efforts of street vendors' organisations in Durban to strengthen the initiatives of other mass-based organisations by calling a general meeting of street vendors to mobilise peaceful popular resistance against these xenophobic attacks and all forms of violence against poor people living in South Africa.

 

“Let us honour the Freedom Charter, which says: ‘South Africa belongs to all those who live in it’.”

 

 

1.3. Xenophobia aftermath: ANC Sonia Bunting branch’s observations at Cleveland Police Station

 

Brian Sokutu, 26 May 2008

 

A delegation from the African National Congress (ANC) Sonia Bunting branch over the weekend visited Cleveland Police Station to give volunteers moral support and to assess the situation relating to displaced foreign nationals.  

 

The delegation was met at the station by Thulani Mngomezulu, who is the CDW in the area, based at the police station to assist displacees. Mngomezulu is also part of the local JOC and took ANC branch members around the station where hundreds of displacees are located.  The delegation also met Captain Cherly Engelbrecht, who is part of a team coordinating operations in relation to the displacees. 

 

Noted the delegation: “Food and clothing has been coming in from a variety of sources, including local businesses, but it was difficult to determine how much was needed going forward as they weren’t sure how long people would be there. Also, a number of people have been leaving.  We were told that Mozambicans and Malawians were being assisted by their governments in getting transport home, but that there were a number of Zimbabweans who wanted to return home and needed assistance.”

 

In response to questions about what their needs were, Engelbrecht said they needed:

volunteers who were professional cooks who had experience in cooking for large numbers and had knowledge of nutritional requirements and hygiene, to assist with cooking and to relieve those who were currently doing the cooking.

 

Assistance in helping to transport learners to school. In some cases there had been problems at schools including victimization of learners. Volunteers who could assist with databases of the displacees were needed. Assistance in helping to continue to arrange for places of safety to women is also being sought.

 

During the walkabout at the station, where people had been divided into different groups: males, females and children, the following additional needs were also identified:

 

Volunteers to work with mothers/ babies

 

One section was assisting in providing for the needs of women and babies, including handing out bottles with formula. This was manned by civil society volunteers, some of them with a nursing or social work background. Some indicated that they had been there for many days and would appreciate relief while others said they had just arrived and were trying to assess how to assist. They indicated that more people were needed during the week when some of the volunteers went to work.

 

Health services

 

Some officials indicated that the only medical personnel that had visited the centre were people from Doctors Without Borders.  In discussion among the branch comrades, we agreed that there was a need to ensure that health workers or a mobile clinic from local or provincial government should also be made available to attend to the displaces. It was suggested that this should be raised and organized through the local JOC.

 

Logistical and operational support

 

There was a general sense that there was a need for logistical and operational support in organizing everybody and seeing to their needs. 

 

Following the walkabout and discussions, we agreed that many of the issues identified should be addressed by government through the JOC and disaster management structures.  However, we needed to assist in ensuring that these structures were working effectively and in raising issues through these structures.

 

Key issues to be raised in the JOC and to be addressed by the appropriate government structures included:

 

Health services This includes ensuring a health care representative on the JOC and the provision of a mobile clinic where necessary (this is in addition to the environmental health issues).

 

Schooling: Making interim arrangements for children to go to school, including possible provision of transport for children to go to school and speaking to the principals, teachers, learners etc. to prevent victimization (through the JOC, Gauteng Department of Education to be approached to take responsibility for this)

 

Transport: Following up on assisting those who wanted to return home.

 

Volunteer cooks: Possible provision of cooks by the Department of Correctional Services or SANDF on a temporary basis.

 

In addition to services provided by Government, it was agreed that the branch should continue to provide support in relation to the mobilization of volunteers, including those with nursing or social work experience, but also those who could assist with logistics at the station and other areas such as cooks and continued collection of clothing.  

 

It was also being noted that other community structures such as the Malvern Residents Association and the local CPF are also involved in the initiatives.

 

It was suggested that a branch task team be set up to coordinate branch efforts and that there should be a contact person for volunteers etc to get information.

 

Those wishing to work with the ANC Sonia Bunting branch on the situation at the Cleveland Police Station, should contact Brian Sokutu on: 0832182563

 

 

South Africa today – xenophobia aftermath crisis

 

 

Out in the cold…….survivors of the xenophobic violence outside Primrose Police Station. An estimated 50 people have been killed and 50 000 displaced in the mayhem. Picture: John Rees

 

 

1.5. Free State Provincial Gender Committee

 

 

Ntsiki Mdebuka-Mgudlwa, 22 May 2008

 

 

The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) recently held its two-day Provincial Gender Committee in the Free State. The first day was scheduled for the workshop which covered the train the trainer modules that were outstanding from the last PGC.

 

Modules that were undertaken were introduction to gender, HIV/Aids at the workplace, trade union, shopsteward and worker representation. SACP, ANCWL, SANCO, OSW, YWCA and CGE were invited.

 

The SACP presented a Marxist perspective on gender issues. SACP input was done by the Provincial Treasurer, Cde Nthabiseng Mokotjo, also a member of Chris Hani Brigade. 

 

The second day was meant for orgnisational matters where the the Deputy Chairperson, Cde Sibongile Makae did a political input that covered the last CEC decisions and the current issue of high price on food and the electricity. The report of NGC was tabled and also focused on our provincial matters. We also had elections of gender office bearers because the former Chairperson and the deputy chair were from NC.

 

Comrades will recall that Northern Cape is now a province on its own and the following comrades were elected to the structure:

 

Chairperson         : Nombulelo Mapena      Nehawu

Deputy Chair        :Kereeditse Teye             Sactwu

Secretary              : Masabata Masisi          Sadtu

Deputy Secretary  : Elsie Letsoala               Saccawu

Coordinator          : Ntsiki Mdebuka-Mgudlwa

 

 

1.6. Address by ANC president Jacob Zuma to Liberty Life’s “Wealthworld” Summit at Sun City, Rustenburg

 

Jacob Zuma, 25 May 2008

 

Mr Saki Macozoma, the chairman of Liberty Group, Governor of the Reserve Bank, Tito Mboweni, CEO of Liberty Life, Bruce Hemphill, CEO of Standard Bank, Jaco Maree, Distinguished guests, Ladies and Gentlemen,

 

Thank you for the opportunity to share this wonderful Africa Day evening with you.

 

Liberty Life is a key player in our economy and the financial services sector, with nearly two million individual policyholders, more than 9 000 pension funds and almost 6 800 shareholders. Only last year, you collected more than R30 billion in insurance premiums and had R221 billion in total assets.

 

It is therefore important for us to spend some time with you and hear your ideas on building our economy, especially through inculcating a culture of savings.

 

Interactions such as this one are valuable as they help to quell rumours and speculation.

 

The year 2007 must have been the worst in terms of rumour-mongering, especially as we went towards the 52nd national conference in Polokwane. Fortunately, instead of marking the end of the country as we knew it, the conference demonstrated the depth of democracy within the ANC.

 

Delegates expressed their wishes democratically in the elections and resolutions, and the organisation continues to function normally, in pursuit of national goals.

 

We hear that some fears have been expressed about the elections next year. We have held three elections in this country and all have gone ahead smoothly. We see no reason why this particular election should be different, especially if the most difficult one, in 1994, went ahead so successfully.

 

We hear also that there is general anxiety because there will be a change of government. Granted, the term of office of the current President of the Republic will come to an end, but the ANC will remain in power. The new government will implement ANC policies.

  

No individual will develop his or her own policies, they will be implementing those developed and adopted by the collective. Not even the ANC President develops his or her own policies. In that sense, the ANC provides predictability for investors and the business sector as our policies are open to public scrutiny.

 

We are also told that there is uncertainty due to fears that a new government will completely overhaul systems and processes. The implementation of our policies must definitely improve, and public servants must be prepared to work harder and more efficiently. In that sense, people can expect that there will be a new way of doing things.

 

The public service must be responsive, caring and open. Communication between government and the people must improve so that we are not taken by surprise. We must know what our people are thinking, and how they want services to be delivered to them. We have to be a government that is in touch with its people.

I say this ladies and gentlemen, as we currently stand humiliated as a nation before the African continent and the world. The world watched in shock and disbelief as Alexandra, Ramaphosaville and other parts of our country exploded into horrific and shameful violence.

 

There can be no excuse for such conduct. Poverty, unemployment, lack of housing and all other challenges cannot be an excuse for the brutal attacks on people and property.

 

Even in the midst of immense poverty, the people of Mozambique, Zambia, Tanzania, Botswana, Swaziland, Lesotho and many other countries embraced us as refugees during the struggle and shared the little that they had with us. Poverty cannot be an excuse for the brutality seen in recent days.

 

We may not have succeeded in entrenching democratic principles and values of ubuntu and tolerance in some sections of our community.

 

We also clearly did not reach some of our people when we spoke of the African Renaissance.

They did not hear us when we explained that we are an inextricable part of the African continent and that our destiny is intertwined with that of the continent.

 

We must concede that whilst we have done well since 1994, and infact we have become the envy of many in the world, but we have not done enough on nation building and on instilling a sense of African-ness and cosmopolitanism amongst our people. We may also need to drastically improve the implementation of certain policies, for example immigration.

 

However, ours is a resilient nation. We cannot dwell on the past, we must move on and correct our mistakes.

 

On this Africa Day, we humbly ask for Africa’s understanding. We undertake to do all in our power to ensure that South Africa does not become a haven for people who perpetrate hatred, tribalism and xenophobia.

 

Ladies and gentlemen, we suffered a setback but we will overcome. We must assure Africa and the world that the minority of despicable elements within our country does not have the support of the South African population.

 

We must not be side-tracked from our goal of building a South Africa that truly belongs to all, including immigrants who are here legally.

 

As the ruling party, we have to improve service delivery and implementation. We have decided to prioritise the fight against crime, and the promotion of health and education over the next five years.

 

We must improve our crime prevention and fighting machinery. We have to ensure that our intelligence services detect the planning of criminal activities. We have called for the establishment of street committees in every residential area by ANC branches.

This has become a matter of urgency. The committees would have been able to detect that some people were planning attacks. The committees will work with the police, and will not be a stand-alone vigilante force of sorts.  Most importantly, our law enforcement agencies have to act harshly against criminals and those who sow seeds of instability in our society.

 

They must face the full might of the law. We cannot tolerate lawlessness in our country. We must all fully support our police service, which is already overstretched in capacity and resources.  The police are our key weapon in the fight against crime.

 

We have to invest in training for our police officials, especially in forensics and investigative work. We have worked hard to come this far, we cannot allow criminals and thugs to derail our gains.

 

Ladies and gentlemen, education is the key to socio-economic and political development.  We want to invest in education, from nursery school to tertiary institutions. We want to progressively introduce free education for the poor until undergraduate level. We also want career guidance to be a compulsory subject from grade 8 upwards, to enable proper human resource planning for the country. 

 

We must also restore the prestige of the teaching profession, through improving the working conditions, which government has begun to do, and supporting teachers in their work in our communities.

 

Since we want schools to function effectively and efficiently, the ANC affirmed in Polokwane that all principals should undertake a leadership, management and governance course.  We are all in agreement as well that we must enhance the teaching of maths and science. In Polokwane we resolved that we should recruit from other countries for scarce skills such as maths and science teaching.

 

As you would be aware, there is also a huge adult literacy drive in the country at the moment, which will help improve skills in the workplace.

 

 

On skills development, we believe we must make the Further Education and Training colleges attractive to the youth that does not want to proceed to university level. They should not fall by the wayside.

We also appeal to the business sector to prioritise mentorships and learnerships as part of the skills development drive. Government has mainstreamed the practice and takes several interns per government department on any given year.

On health, we must improve our public health system. Many of our hospitals are in decay and need to be revitalised, while the working conditions of our health personnel still need to be attended to.

With regards to HIV and AIDS, we have reached a stage where people see and feel the impact of the pandemic as they care for loved ones who are ill. We have to alleviate the social impact through effective support programmes, while making treatment accessible to all.

 

But most of all, prevention remains the best cure. The messages of prevention need to be underscored by all of us, political parties, government, business and the non-governmental sector.

Ladies and gentlemen, a matter that is of immense concern to you all is what is called the poor culture of savings in our country. Our savings levels are so poor that thousands of people become dependent on the state in their old age, which needs to be addressed.

Already government is looking into a compulsory retirement scheme which should contribute to alleviating the challenge.

But more than that, we need to encourage savings and make it more of a habit amongst our people. We know that many have for years invested in stokvels and all kinds of mechanisms, which indicates an understanding of the need to save.

We know that given the current global economic climate, people do not have much money left after paying their bills, which will seriously affect savings.

We hope they will resist the temptation to cash in their savings and insurance policies to deal with the short-term difficulties.

 

The financial services sector would do well to communicate messages that encourage people and which give them hope that the economic difficulty that we are going through is a passing phase.

We are aware of concerns that have been raised about affirmative action and other corrective measures that we have instituted.

Apartheid led to skewed participation in the economy and in the job market, in favour of our white population and others. No economy can be sustained by the minority anywhere in the world.

 

For the sake of sustainable economic growth, we have to normalise the situation through undertaking corrective measures to open up previously closed opportunities.

 

Our country is not immune to global problems such as the high food and petrol prices, but as the ruling party we are determined to work tirelessly to alleviate the suffering. Whether it is crime, health, skills development and others, we have enough talent and commitment in our country to respond effectively.

 

Let me emphasise that we need to promote skilled immigration into our country.  Immigrants from Africa and other parts of the world, with much-needed scarce skills can assist the domestic economy to create decent work opportunities for South Africans.

 

The events of the past week have reminded us of the urgency of achieving socio-economic and political stability in the continent.  Economic stability in the region will reduce the flow of illegal immigration, and create the basis for mutually beneficial economic, social and political relations between South Africa and sister countries on the continent.  The African Union, seeks to achieve this through NEPAD and other programmes.  We must all co-operate, from all sectors – business, government and civil society, to find a lasting solution.

 

The future is today, let us work together to build it.

Once again ladies and gentleman let me thank you for this opportunity afforded to me to interact with you

 

 

Workplace

 

2.1. COSATU–NUM march on Simmer and Jack 

 

 

 

 

Joe Montiseti, 26 May 2008

 

COSATU and NUM members in the North West province (Matlosana region) will today (27 May) stage a protest march “against the attitude of Simmer and Jack mines management”.

 

The march will start at Hurtis Circle no.5 and proceed to the Time Office (salary administration office), from 4.15am to 6pm.

 

The mines human resource manager Solly Poopedi, will receive a memorandum at 4.30pm, at the Time Office.

 

The memorandum of demands is directed at the mines executive directors. Issues that in dispute with management are:

 

·         Medical incapacity

·         Labour class rates

·         Contractors

·         Demolishing of hostels

 

For more information please free contact NUM Regional Secretary Joe Montisetsi on: 018 464 1593 or 082 8092391

 

 

2.2. Investigation atrocities, mismanagement of funds and personnel in Westonaria - SAMWU

 

Phemelo Keupilwe, 26 May 2008

 

 

The South African Municipal Workers’ Union (SAMWU) has called on the Westonaria Municipality to investigate atrocities, mismanagement of funds and personnel.

 

Said SAMWU: “The union has served two comprehensive reports to the Executive Mayor on this, and her only response was to promise to contact SAMWU in due course, which has not happened and to refuse to sign acknowledgement of receipt of the reports.”

 

Some of the unions concerns were that:

 

·         The Municipal Manager has hired a chauffeur to transport him to meetings, instead of driving himself.

 

·         The Municipal Manager committed a criminal offence by installing a blue flashing police light on his car.

 

·         There is rampant mismanagement of public resources by staying in expensive hotels and incurring expensive flight costs while the community remains thirsty for service delivery.

 

·         Council has spent a lot of money on putting up barricades around communities staying in Spook Town and other shack areas, instead of providing those residents with services.

 

·         SAMWU members are being victimised through being demoted en masse for no good reason.

 

·         The municipality has failed to resolve the dispute over the traffic officers’ travelling allowance. Traffic officers Traffic officers are given a monthly allowance to cover a certain amount of kilometres. Over the years, they have found themselves doing more and more work.

 

Said SAMWU: “They do not only cover the entire Westonaria but also work on the N12 highway, far exceeding the number of kilometres they are paid for. SAMWU tried to resolve this problem by suggesting to council that all traffic officers keep a log book of distance travelled for three months. Although council agreed to this, when the three month period was up they refused to look at the log books. This problem has now been going on for about one year.

 

“The municipality is wasting a lot of money on hiring private lawyers which they use to discipline SAMWU members – this is the job of the Human Resources department.

There is disparity between the salaries of Bekkersdal and former Westonaria workers.

 

“SAMWU is extremely disappointed in the Executive Mayor who plays hide and seek. We call for an urgent investigation into our report, and demand the urgent intervention of all ANC Councillors.”

 

International

 

 3.1. Xenophobia: Malawian petition to the SA Government

 

Undule Mwakasungula and Mavuto Bamusi, 26 May 2008

 

We, the civil society representing various groupings and sectors of the Malawian society and the people of the Republic of Malawi, hereby write to petition the Government of the Republic of South Africa, through the South African High Commissioner to Malawi on the savage, cruel, inhuman and barbaric attacks by the people of the Republic of South Africa on the people of the Republic of Malawi and other nationalities.

 

In the past several days, media reports have exposed stories of horrid torture, rape, murder, lynching and any sort of barbaric act savagely inflicted on the people of Malawi currently resident in South Africa. Some Malawians have been killed, thousands have been displaced, women have been raped and houses belonging to Malawians have been burnt to ashes. Malawians who have lived in South Africa for decades have lost all their property in one fell swoop. They have been made helpless refugees overnight. The scenes of the barbaric perpetrators of violence glimpsed from the media are reminiscent of the Rwandan genocide of 1994. We have seen pictures of men burnt alive.

According to media reports, some Malawians have been pushed over all the way from the 15th floor of a high-rise building.

 

Surprisingly, the South African government appears to be handling the situation with astounding procrastination and clumsiness. The situation is getting out of hand every day because the response by the government has been surprisingly slow. There have been worrisome media reports that in some instances the police reportedly ask for bribes from the victims in order to assist. We do not get the impression that the government of South Africa is seriously making efforts to end this violence once and for all.

History

 

We see it our duty to remind you that we, the people of Southern Africa share a common ancestry. We have been brothers and sisters since time immemorial. Many people from South Africa have migrated to Malawi over the centuries. Likewise, many Malawians have migrated to South Africa. There have also been a lot of intermarriages that have linked us.

 

Even the root of our Bantu languages is the same. The Zulu word for ‘person,’ for example, is ‘umuntu.’ The Chichewa word for the same is ‘munthu.’ This is a reflection of how we share origins.

 

Apart from this, we also find it our duty to remind you that Malawi hosted a number of South Africans displaced by apartheid. We did not kill them. We did not rape them. We did not snatch their property. We did not set their houses on fire.

 

Upon his release from prison in 1990, former President Nelson Mandela came to Malawi to solicit a cash donation from the then Life President Ngwazi Dr H. Kamuzu Banda for the African National Congress in your fight for freedom.

 

As for the other nationalities such as Zimbabwe, Zambia and Mozambique, the South African apartheid government at that time went as far as bombing them for harbouring South Africans. Some people in these countries died for the freedom of the South Africans.

 

Is this the best way to pay back? Having used us in your fight for freedom, do the people of South Africa now reward us by raping us, killing us, torturing us and

burning down our houses?  We need a better way of   honoring our sacrifice towards

your freedom.

 

UN, SADC and NEPAD

Perhaps South Africa needs to be reminded that what is happening is contrary to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the United Nations, the vision of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) to which South Africa subscribes.

 

Article No. 1 of the Universal Declaration says “All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.” Article No 3 says “Everyone has the right to life, liberty and the security of person.” Article No 5 says “No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.”

 

The Bill of Rights enshrined in the South African Constitution echoes this. Article No

1 says, “Everyone has the right to freedom and the security of person, which includes the right a) not to be deprived of freedom arbitrarily or without just cause; c) to be free from all forms of violence from either public or private sources [and] e) not to be treated or punished in a cruel, inhuman or degrading way. Article 10 says “Everyone has inherent dignity and the right to have their dignity respected and protected.”

Article No 11 says “Everyone has the right to life.”

 

The vision of SADC is that of “a common future, a future in a regional community that will ensure economic well-being, improvement of the standards of living and quality of life, freedom and social justice and peace and security for the peoples of Southern Africa. This shared vision is anchored on the common values and principles and the historical and cultural affinities that exist between the peoples of Southern Africa.”

Finally, one of the core principles of NEPAD is “partnership between and among African peoples.”

 

Clearly, the SADC and the NEPAD visions have been set back tremendously by the barbaric acts of the people of South Africa. The regional harmony has been shaken. The brotherhood of man in this part of Africa is now questioned. Where is Africa going?

 

Our plea

Whereas it is understood that the South African Government is doing something about this barbaric and uncilivilised act of violence, that troops have been deployed in certain areas to contain the situation, further eruptions and the spreading of the violence to all parts of the country make us believe that not enough is being done to help disadvantaged Malawians and other nationalities.

 

We therefore protest in the strongest of terms this aloofness by the Government of South Africa in protecting the lives of the people of Malawi in the face of such brutality.

 

We hereby petition the South African Government to consider the following:

 

•        Stop the killings, the looting and mayhem with immediate effect.

 

•        Social services and basic needs be provided to all Malawians without

discrimination.

 

•        Ensure that all affected Malawians have adequate protection from less corrupt

security personnel until the situation normalizes.

 

•        All Malawians wanting to travel out of South Africa should do so in peace.

Surely it is within the powers of the South African Government to provide security at bus stations? We do not want to believe that the mighty South African police and the South African army can fail to prevent a few hundred rogues from wreaking havoc at bus stations and other areas.

 

•        All the families of Malawians killed by the mobs should be compensated by the

South African Government.

 

•        All Malawians who have lost property in the mayhem should be compensated.

 

•        Justice must be seen to be done on all perpetrators of the violence and that

arrests being made must not be merely for window dressing and for saving the face of South Africa Government. 

 

•        The Government of the Republic of South Africa must apologise to the people of

the Republic of Malawi for the killing, the rape, the harassment, the intimidation and all the savage acts the citizens of Malawi have suffered during the chaos.

 

Pursuant to principles of regional integration and inter dependence of nations, we wish to let South Africa know that it is not just Malawians who need South Africans.

South Africa also needs Malawi. It is a symbiotic relationship. This is why many South African companies are investing in Malawi. This is why we have a lot of South Africans staying in this country; at times we have issues with them but we always pursue peaceful resolution. 

 

We must peacefully coexist for our mutual social-economic benefit.  South Africa must not toss Malawians aside simply because the goal of ending apartheid has now been achieved.  We need each other for the continued democratization and development which can not be achieved by one nation operating as a stand-alone.

 

Signed By Human Rights Consultative Committee (HRCC) on behalf on concerned persons and civil society organizations in Malawi:

 

 

Undule Mwakasungula                               Mavuto Bamusi

HRCC Board Chairperson                           HRCC National Coordinator

 

 

3.2. Zimbabwe Solidarity Forum in South Africa’s support for the Swaziland Solidarity Network against Swazi dictatorship

 

Sipho Theys, 26 May 2008

 

The blocking of the Swaziland-South African border on the 12th of April was a symbolic expression of the solidarity between progressive organizations and activists from our two countries.

 

It is essential that we ask how trade can continue as normal between our two countries while repression continues unabated in Swaziland. Blockading the border is a reminder of the power of ordinary people and draws attention to the abnormality of the undemocratic nature of the Swazi political system. Until the whole of Southern Africa is free and all of us are part of a regional peoples democracy none of us should remain silent. Progressive forces that demand change must be listened to.

 

As the Zimbabwe Solidarity Forum, a network of progressive South African civil society organisations, including youth, women, labour, faith-based, human rights and student formations that are engaged in the promotion of solidarity for sustainable peace, democracy and human rights in Zimbabwe, we recognize the inter-related nature of the struggles in Swaziland.

 

In Swaziland, as in Zimbabwe, political detainees have been assaulted in their cells without government taking any responsibility. Like Zimbabwe, Swaziland has experienced the death of detainees in detention under very suspicious circumstances. Like Zimbabwe, Swaziland is suffering from the abuses of power, by an elite minority, at the expense of the majority.

 

Our vision for the region, and for Africa as a whole, is of a continent in which all of our people can share in the benefits of freedom. As citizens of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Region, we share a common destiny and common concerns. We all wish to see a peaceful, democratic and prosperous SADC Region.

We reiterate our call for a democratic transformation of the social, economic and political space in Swaziland.

 

 

 

 

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