COSATU Today 4 December 2009

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1 Comrade Curtis Nkondo

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1.1 COSATU dips its flags

The Congress of South African Trade Unions dips its flags in honour of Comrade Curtis Nkondo, who passed away on 3 December 2009 aged 82, after a long illness. We send our condolences to Rose, his wife of 52 years, and his four children.

Comrade Nkondo was the founding deputy president of the South African Democratic Teachers Union (SADTU) and devoted his entire life to the liberation struggle, in particular to the fight for better education for all.

He was born on 1 February 1928 in Louis Trichardt and qualified as a teacher in 1952. He was a high school teacher for 20 years, at Pimville High School, and principal of Lamula High School in Meadowlands. He was the founding president of the National Education Union of South Africa (NEUSA) and was elected as the first deputy president of its successor, SADTU, at its launch in 1990.

He also became deeply involved in the broader political struggle as an active ANC member. In 1983, Comrade Nkondo was elected as Vice-President of the United Democratic Front in Cape Town and in 1985 was elected chairperson of the Release Mandela Campaign. As a result of his political activism he was banned as a teacher, imprisoned and subjected to house arrests, when he could only have one visitor at a time.

He also played an active role in the Soweto Teachers Action Committee which emerged during the June 1976 riots and was also involved in the English Language Teaching Information Centre.

After the democratic elections in 1994, Comrade Nkondo became a member of the Gauteng Provincial Legislature and served on the Association against Woman and Child abuse and the Etwatwa Community Trust. At the time of his death he was the head of South African Diplomatic Mission in Namibia.

COSATU pays tribute to a stalwart liberation fighter, who inspired generations of student activists with his commitment to the struggle for a non-racial and equal education system and who will continue to be a role model for generations of students to come.

1.2 SADTU mourns passing on of Comrade Curtis Nkondo

Members of the National Executive Committee of the South African Democratic Teachers Union (SADTU) bowed their heads to mourn the death of its founding deputy president, Comrade Curtis Nkondo who passed away yesterday at the age of 82 after a long illness.

Comrade Nkondo dedicated his life to fighting for a better quality education for all, justice and democracy. As a result, he was banned as a teacher, imprisoned and subjected to house arrests and could only have one visitor at a time. A true revolutionary, Comrade Nkondo believed that better quality education for all went hand in hand with political freedom.

SADTU General Secretary Mugwena Maluleke hailed Nkondo, “We are indebted to this true revolutionary who understood that the struggle for quality education was also a struggle for true liberation. He deplored the lack of progress in education. Even at his death bed, Nkondo was deeply pained by the fact that education was not fully integrated and there were schools which still lacked resources. As SADTU, we are going to work tirelessly to ensure his dream becomes as reality.”

Comrade Nkondo became the first deputy president of SADTU at its launch in 1990. He was also founding president of SADTU predecessor the National Education Union of South Africa (NEUSA). Comrade Nkondo was elected founding vice-president of the United Democratic Front in 1983.

He began his teaching career in the 1950’s at Pimville High School, hardly a few years after the introduction of Bantu Education - a system he detested. A dedicated member of the ANC, Comrade Nkondo, at times wanted to abandon the profession and join the ANC in exile but was constantly restrained and told to continue with the profession by ANC leaders such as Oliver Tambo as part of ensuring the presence of the ANC in the country.

A true cadre, Nkondo remained and inspired generations of student activists. Nkondo played an active role in the Soweto Teachers Action Committee which came into being during the June 1976 riots. A man with a passion for teaching, Comrade Nkondo was also involved in the English Language Teaching Information Centre.

SADTU would like to express its heartfelt condolences to the Nkondo family, especially his wife Rose whom he had been married to for 52 years. The couple was blessed with four children.

May his soul rest in peace!

2 Workers

2.1 Sun International South Africa Workers on strike

Mike Abrahams, SACCAWU Media Officer, 4 December 2009

After a successful one-day protest on the 2nd of October throughout the country, the SACCAWU members at Sun International have decided to embark on a full-blown indefinite strike to push for their demands as management continue its intransigent stance against workers legitimate demands for better wages and improved working conditions.

Over the last few years we have seen South Africa becoming one of the top attractions for tourists, both for leisure, sporting events and conferences. Even the latest figure show an increase of 5.8% year-on year and 21% month-on month increase for July and they expect even better business for 2010 with the World Cup coming to South Africa. Thus, despite the economic downturn the company have shown remarkable expansion and growth in profits, yet workers have to turn to the streets to get the company to consider reasonable increases.

Over the recent past the Sun International was selected as one of the top 100 companies for 2007, it was ranked 12th in the Financial Mail top 100 companies and 1st in the Gaming and Leisure sector in South Africa. At the same time the Group have expanded its operations in South Africa as well as various parts of Africa and latin America, including Nigeria, Egypt and Chile.

Since 2002 the Group's profits exploded from below R300 million to well over R1 500 million in 2008. Over the last financial year alone the group's profits increased from R636 million to R1 069 million. Average room occupancy for the Southern African region stood at 76% and increase from 74% , with occupancy rates in South Africa above 85%.

At the same time top management positions still reflect unacceptable apartheid patterns with 86% of top management, 80% of senior management and 69% of middle management still white, the majority of them male. And unfortunately the BEE partners instead of challenging this skewed employment equity or support the workers in their plight for decent wages, employment contracts and conditions of work seem to simply benefit and line their pockets.

While management were reaping the profits of the economic growth workers hardly received a living wage while suffering under increase food, transport, petrol and electricity costs, which have seen workers getting poorer in real terms. While the will start tomorrow the parties will go to the CCMA tomorrow to agree on picketing rules. We call on the company to move away from their hostile industrial relationship and concede to the workers their legitimate demands

SACCAWU demands:

Ø An increase of 13% effective from the 1st of July 2009;

Ø Ensure a ratio of 90%/10% of full time employees to scheduled employees;

Ø Tips should unconditionally be allocated to workers;

Ø An end to the exploitative practice of averaging of working hours;

Ø The extension of the scope of the Bargaining Unit;

Ø A night shift allowance of R 7-00 per hour.

Ø End Labour broking and the use of interns from hotel schools to undercut working conditions and wages

2.2 COSATU North West demonstrating at Ganyesa Magistrates Court

Solly Phetoe, COSATU NW Provincial Secretary, 4 December 2009

COSATU, with its supporters from Morokweng and Ganyesa communities, will be demonstrating and picketing at Ganyesa Magistrate Court on 8^th December 2009, when a white racist farmer will be appearing for the eighth time after he was found guilty by Morokweng Local Magistrate on 21 May 2009.

Since 21 May 2009 the Ganyesa Magistrate has been playing delaying tactics to suit the white farmer who has money to do anything, like taking some of justice people for lunch (bribe)

It is on record that the Department of Justice, in particular the magistrates, are in the pocket of those who have money, e.g. farmers, politicians. It cannot be correct that all cases of killings, assaulting farm and domestic workers are postponed for three to five times for years in court with no trial; some are still under investigation with a view of making poor workers lose hope.

For example:

Ø A farm worker was killed in Stella in June 2009 and we are still waiting for the postmortem results. Is that fair?

Ø A young boy was mauled by nine lions in Tosca June 2008; till today nothing has happened.

Ø A farm worker was mauled by nine lions in January 2008 in Swartruggens; nothing is happening.

Ø Johan Nel shot a 16 year old boy October; no trial till today.

The majority of cases where white farmers are involved or implicated, in particular in Swartruggens, Klerksdorp, Ventersdorp, Vryburg, Lichtenburg and Brits, due to their capital power are released with free bail or they are found not guilty. This is a pain for us as the working class and we are going to fight to the death.

The National Director of Public Prosecutions has given instruction to investigate the racial attitudes of all magistrates who are in the pocket of farmers and politicians who have money.

There are many cases that we can give as examples; some will implicate the police and investigators.

We want justice to be done to all those cases, COSATU’s demand is that cases must be taken to the high court and those magistrates must go.

3 South Africa

3.1 COSATU response to report of Eskom tariff application

Patrick Craven, COSATU National Spokesperson, 2 December 2009

COSATU has noted reports that Eskom has revised its tariff application from 45% a year for the next three years to 35%. COSATU will study the revised application once published and respond accordingly.

The 35% tariff increase would still be too high. Using the average end-user residential electricity price of 80c per kWh, it means households would pay R1.08, R1.50 and R1.97 per kWh in 2010, 2011 and 2012 respectively in nominal terms. This translates to a whopping 146% increase over the Multi Year Price Determination period.

This would be the tip of the iceberg, as consumers are likely to face even steeper tariffs as the private sector gets more involved in the electricity industry. The crisis in the sector, which is as a result of failed attempts in the late 1990s to privatise Eskom, is now being use to justify privatisation. It is reported that Eskom will now sell 30% of its stake in the Kusile power station to private interests. The building of Kusile will now be delayed to give Eskom a change get this private equity.

Instead of building more coal-fired power stations there is an urgent need to upscale investment in renewable sources of energy. Empirical evidence shows that while it is cheaper to produce electricity from coal now, it is going to be costly in the medium to long term. The inverse is true in relation to the renewable sources of energy; they will become relatively expensive initially but cheaper in the long term. Upscaling investment in renewable sources of energy will not only address the challenge of climate change but will create the all-important jobs in the economy.

While the economy has shown some signs of recovery, the country is not yet out of the economic crisis, especially given the rate at which almost a million jobs have been shed in the first three quarters of 2009.

As part of measures to address the economic challenges facing the country due to the global economic melt-down, the social partners have agreed, in the Framework for SA’s Response to the Crisis, that electricity prices must be moderated. This is what the framework said:

“The parties recognise the need for adequate infrastructure to lay the basis for growth and development. At the same time, the parties agree that excessive increases in administered prices may exacerbate the negative impacts of the current situation and agree that increases in administered prices should carefully balance these different considerations”.

The framework also recognised the importance of investing in green technologies to attain the objectives stated above already:

“The parties recognise the opportunities in industries that combat the negative effects of climate change and believe that South Africa should develop strong capacity in these green technologies and industries. Accordingly, it is agreed to develop incentives for investment in a programme to create large numbers of green jobs, namely employment in industries and facilities that are designed to mitigate the effects of climate change. Government will be asked to develop a proposal for consideration by the parties. This proposal will, where appropriate, build on current initiatives of greening existing manufacturing and service activities”.

COSATU expected Eskom to take this framework into account when revising its application. We want to reiterate our call for government to foot the bill for the completion of the Medupi power station. Part of the R787bn budgeted for infrastructure must be used to help Eskom complete its construction.

The federation has also called for a special, once-off tax on corporations for this purpose. Government can also increase taxes marginally while maintaining the tax-free income threshold. This would ensure that majority of low-income workers and the poor do not bear the excess burden of the tax.

Lastly, we call for an urgent revival of the campaign for the efficient use of electricity. Any success on this front will make the building of additional coal-fired power stations unnecessary and relieve the working people and the poor from high electricity tariffs.

3.2 NUMSA supports Minister Nzimande on reviewing funding formula for universities!

Castro Ngobese, NUMSA National Spokesperson, 2 December 2009

NUMSA fully supports the mandate given to the Council for Higher Education by the Minister of Higher Education and Training Dr Blade Nzimande to review the funding formula used to determine how much money should be allocated to institutions of higher learning by the State.

Nzimande’s mandate is informed by the existing racialised and huge funding gap between historically advantaged institutions and historically disadvantaged institutions. The review of the funding formula will reverse the deep-seated and embedded apartheid Bantu education inequalities in the higher education landscape broadly and skills output in particular. The review should be located and understood within the context of building peoples’ education for peoples’ power geared towards meeting the developmental goals and needs of our political economy as dictated by the working class and the poor.

We view the review of the funding formula as a strategic point of entry for the gradual introduction of free and affordable education for the poor. It will ease the burden faced by the workers and the poor in the midst of the skyrocketing and commodified cost of education. This is in sync with the electoral promises made by the ANC-led Alliance during the watershed April 22 national elections.

The rejection of this mandate by the high priests of neo-liberalism and capitalist orientated education system as represented by the DA should be resisted and defeated by all, especially by the working class and the poor. This shows that the DA is hell-bent on maintaining and reproducing the apartheid education inequalities using the organs of knowledge production and reproduction.

This review is a befitting honour to the 1976 martyrs who perished in the hands of the heinous apartheid regime fighting for peoples’ education consistent with the ideals of the Freedom Charter of building a non-racial, non-sexist and democratic education.

3.3 YCL calls for well-balanced and befitting new rector for UNISA

Gugu Ndima, YCLSA National spokesperson, 2 December 2009

The Young Communist League of South Africa (UFasimba) notes the reappointment of Transvaal Judge President, Ngoepe as a Chancellor of University of South Africa (UNISA) and the process to be undertaken in the University community and their integrity in looking for the best Vice Chancellor.

The Young Communist League has an interest in who will be a Rector of such an important institution of higher learning, a University that was a citadel and a façade of white academic privilege. It is our view that a lot still needs to be done in transforming that institution so that it really becomes a gateway of academic excellence with more support to the black previously disadvantaged students.

Our hopes were elevated five (5) years ago with the appointment of Barney Pityana as a Vice Chancellor that a radical turnaround was to be seen. Unfortunately Pityana had allowed himself to drawn in the white castle and had turned his rifle against those he was appointed to serve – black students. He has failed to address the quality of paper markings for students directed to white Lecturers and hence more unwarranted failures, the problem of study materials, his interference to students governance matters and non recognition of SRC. In 2008 he spent a lot of time doing COPE work than University duties in the height of problems in the University.

The YCL cannot wait until his term of office lapses. He represents what we cannot brazenly wield as pride from an African academic administrator. We are calling for a painstaking search for someone who will equal the challenge and address the backlogs that are barely institutionalized currently undressed by Pityana in terms of transformation for UNISA.

3.4 Civil society responds to shift in deadline for submissions to on Public Service Broadcasting Bill

Kate Skinner, SOS Coordinator, 4 December 2009

The “Save our SABC” Campaign representing a number of trade unions including COSATU, CWU and CWUSA, FEDUSA and BEMAWU; independent producer organisations including the South African Screen Federation (SASFED); and a host of NGOs and CBOs including the Freedom of Expression Institute, Media Monitoring Africa, the Media Institute of Southern Africa and the National Community Radio Forum; as well as a number of academic and independent experts welcome the fact that the Department of Communications has shifted the deadlines for comment on the Bill from 7 December 2009 to 15 January 2010.

However, we do note that this extension is over the Christmas period and this certainly significantly hampers our ability to research, debate and consult on the issues raised by the Bill. We had originally asked for an extension until the end of March 2010.

However, one sector will certainly benefit from the extension – the community media sector. This gives members of the National Community Radio Forum (NCRF) representing 105 stations nation-wide and a 150 communication activists from civil society organisations an opportunity to gather in Upington, Northern Cape next week at the Media Mindblast conference to develop a shared response to the Bill.

1. The Coalition notes again that this Bill introduces fundamental policy shifts that seek to transform the landscape of broadcasting in the country. This potentially impacts on every citizen in South Africa either as a tax payer or as a viewer or listener of TV or radio. We reiterate that some of the fundamental policy shifts include:

2. The Bill aligns broadcasting to the “developmental goals of the Republic” and the developmental state. Previously broadcasting was aligned to the Constitution.

3. The Bill introduces fundamental shifts to the broadcasting funding environment. It calls for the scrapping of TV licence fees and for amendments to the Income Tax Act, 1962, to ensure that up to 1% of personal income tax is set aside for public broadcasting.

4. In terms of funding, it introduces a new Public Service Broadcasting Fund to be administered by the Media Development and Diversity Agency, requiring that the MDDA Act is amended. The Fund is mandated to finance a wide-ranging set of functions, including the public service division of the SABC (together with regional television and international broadcasting services), content development, community broadcasting services, and signal distribution. The MDDA at present funds small commercial and community media and is specifically barred from getting involved in editorial independence issues.

5. The Bill introduces far-reaching new powers for the Minister of Communications. The Minister can now issue directives to the SABC and community media on “any matter connected to public service broadcasting” if the entity is unable to “perform its functions as prescribed in this Act”.

6. Previously the SABC was split into two divisions – public and public-commercial. The SABC is now to be divided into three separate divisions – public, commercial and international.

7. Sentech has now been designated as the common signal distribution carrier, requiring amendments to the Electronic Communications Act, 2005.

8. Finally, and importantly, community media’s role has now been reconceptualised. A new Charter has been introduced for the community media sector specifying the ways in which the community media sector needs to be organised. Further, the Bill ensures community media forge partnerships with their local municipalities.

In light of these major policy shifts the Coalition still calls for a proper policy review process including a review of the Broadcasting White Paper, 1998. In line with sound law making practices we believe that the policy review process should proceed the drafting of new legislation. The Coalition will certainly respond to the new deadline of the 15^th of January but one of the key foci of our submission will be addressing the need for a proper policy review process. We also again call on the Department to release the research it has done that proceeded and informed the Bill’s proposals.

4 International

4.1 Trial date for Dr. Mkhumane killer

Sipho Msibi, Mpumalanga SSN Convener, 2 December 2009

The Swaziland Solidarity Network [SSN] Mpumalanga province led by, Sipho Msibi, SSN Convener, wishes to inform and invite all comrades and friends on the murder trial of the person who robbed us the late Deputy President of The People’s United Democratic Movement “PUDEMO” Dr. Gabriel Thandokuhle Mkhumane. The trial will be taking place on 7 December 2009 in Nelspruit.

The widow and the kids will highly appreciate moral support on this day and we also hope as Mpumalanga SSN that the truth shall emerge eventually as we do not want to believe that this thug was alone he must tell us who did he planned and kill Mkhumane with.

Mluleki Mntungwa (Communications Officer)

COSATU ICT Unit

1-5 Leyds Cnr Biccard Street

Braamfontein

2007

P.O.Box 1019

Johannesburg

2000

South Africa

Tel: +27 11 339-4911/24

Fax: +27 11 339-5080/6940

E-Mail: mlu...@cosatu.org.za

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