COSATU Today 20 November 2009
Patrick Craven
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Our side of the story
Friday 20 November 2009
Contents
1.1 COSATU mourns the passing away of its founding 1st Deputy President
1.2 COSATU staff congratulates Dominique for her new-bon baby
1.3 COSATU marches to the University of Free State
1.4 COSATU backs President’s fight against corruption
1.5 NUMSA condemns resurfacing of xenophobic attacks
1.6 COSATU N Cape holds PEC meeting
2.1 SACP applauds the establishment of anti-corruption task team
2.2 ANC YL President’s response to SACP Deputy General Secretary, 18 November 2009
2.3 More money and better spending needed on health
2.4 SANAC Sport & Entertainment Sector holds symposium
3.1 SSN holds national conference
3.2 ITGLWF General Secretary passes away
4.1 Murder trial of Dr Mkhumane
1. Workers
1.1 COSATU mourns the passing away of its founding 1st Deputy President
Patrick Craven COSATU’s National Spokesperson, 20 November 2009
Chris Dlamini
COSATU dips its banners in honour of one of our greatest heroes – Chris Dlamini - who passed away on 19 November 2009 between 21h00 and 22h00 after a brave battle with a ruptured ulcer. We send our condolences to his wife, Busi, seven children, seven grandchildren, two brothers, two sisters, and his many friends and comrades.
Comrade Chris Ndodebandla Dlamini was the founding 1st Deputy President of COSATU and devoted his whole life to the struggle for workers’ rights and national liberation. He epitomised the spirit of commitment and dedication to the revolution.
He first became involved at only 12 years old after he heard Nelson Mandela and Walter Sisulu speak in his township to canvass support for the ANC. He told the Financial Mail in June this year: “I was a child. We heard there were these two men addressing people and we went and listened. I already had politics in me. My parents had been married in Swaziland so their marriage was not recognised. My father lived in a hostel in Johannesburg. Whenever he visited my mother and I, he would be arrested and would have to pay £1 to be released."
He began work in 1963 as a warehouse manager in Springs, and in 1973 became a founder member and treasurer of the Engineering and Allied Workers Union. The first protest which he led won the workers an extra Christmas bonus for the workers.
He later started work for Kellogg’s in Springs and joined the Food and Allied Workers Union (FAWU). He became a shop steward in 1979, a position he held until 1994. He was the union’s President from 1979 to 1993, and the President of the Federation of SA Trade Unions (FOSATU) from 1981 to 1985, in which capacity he played a crucial role in the formation of COSATU in 1985.
He was renowned for his ability to manage the sometimes fierce debates between the different unions which came together to form the new federation. At its founding Congress, he was elected as COSATU 1st Deputy President, where he remained until 1994, when elected to Parliament where he served as an ANC whip.
Chris’s life was not without hardships. He was twice detained under the Internal Security Act, for three days in 1982, for a month in 1984 and for 10 days in 1986.
In 1997 he resigned from Parliament to become a diplomat in North Korea, China and Mongolia.
In 2001, he returned to the union to run its Investment Wing until 2006 when this Investment Wing was integrated into the office of the General Secretary.
Comrade Dlamini has never lost contact with his trade union roots. He attended COSATU’s 10th National Congress in September 2009 and told the Financial Mail that he is completely supportive of Cosatu's current demands. “Unions, he said, “should be part of drafting any new government policies and programmes affecting workers, jobs and the unemployed. But they should always exhaust negotiations before resorting to strike action”.
He never left the struggle to become rich but ended his life on his smallholding in Leslie, near Delmas, Mpumalanga, where he had a few sheep, some goats and hens. “I don't have many resources for farming. I'm struggling but surviving," he said.
Comrade Chris Dlamini will always be remembered for his total commitment to the workers’ struggle, to which he devoted his whole life.
There will be a memorial service on Thursday 26 November at 15h00 in Johannesburg at a venue to be announced. His funeral will be held on 28 November 2009 in Swaziland.
1.2 COSATU staff congratulates Dominique for her new-born baby
FAWU’s Communications Head, Dominique Swartz was blessed with a baby boy yesterday, 19 November 2009. Congratulations Dominique.
1.3 COSATU marches to the University of Free State
Sam Mashinini, COSATU Free State Provincial Secretary, 19 November 2009
COSATU in the Free State and the community in Mangaung will be marching to the University of the Free State tommorrow to deliver a memorandum of grievance pertaining to racism at the University.
All arrangements have been made for this protest action to take place. The protest action is part of our ongoing campaign against the management of this institution to ensure that racism is rooted out.
In the media yesterday, lawyers for the four students are quoted as saying that the four Reitz students will not apologise for what they did, as the apology will mean that they are guilty.
The lawyers’ statement is a confirmation that it was wrong for professor Jansen and his Council to drop the charges against the four students before justice was done. COSATU has been informed that the same university intends to interdict the federation on the march and COSATU will meet in court should the university do that.
All the community is welcome to join the march that will start at Raamkral in Mangaung, Bloemfontein, from 09h00.
1.4 COSATU backs President’s fight against corruption
Patrick Craven, COSATU’s National Spokesperson, 19 November 2009
The Congress of South African Trade Unions has welcomed the news that President Jacob Zuma has instructed a team of ministers to develop a concrete strategy to stamp out corruption. The federation pledges its total support for his initiative and our members will continue to blow the whistle on corruption whenever we come across it.
As COSATU has repeatedly pointed out, corruption, and the culture of crass materialism and individual self-enrichment which feeds it, threatens to destroy our democracy and derail the national democratic revolution.
The federation agrees with the SACP that corruption is “tantamount to stealing from the poor”, and that “the fight against corruption is not just a moral crusade but an important political struggle to defend and deepen our democracy in the interests of the workers and the poor.”
The recent spate of angry community protests have in no small part been directed against local mayors and councillors who are perceived to be using their elected positions to line their own pockets by awarding tenders to companies owned by family members.
This perception is reinforced by the report to MPs by the Special Investigating Unit on a multimillion-rand trail of kickbacks and procurement irregularities involving prisons contracts, and its revelation that more than 2 000 civil servants have rigged tenders worth R600 million to enrich themselves or their families.
COSATU agrees with ANC Secretary-General, Comrade Gwede Mantashe, that “the biggest threat to our movement is the intersection between business interests and the holding of public office. It is frightening to observe the speed with which the election to a position is seen to be the creation of an opportunity for wealth accumulation.”
Public servants must be forced to choose between service to the community or service to themselves and their family businesses. They cannot serve both.
It is important to remember however that corruption is not confined to the public service. A survey has revealed that SA has one of the world’s highest levels of economic crime, with more than 60% of companies reporting having been victims. Corruption always involves at least two perpetrators, the briber and the bribee, and both must be treated with equal severity.
Public servants however ought to be setting an example to society. The large majority still do work selflessly to improve the lives of their communities. But their work is sabotaged by the minority who see election to public office as a ticket to enrichment.
Firm action must be taken against any officials or business people who are implicated in any form of corruption. They must be identified, prosecuted and given long, exemplary jail sentences to show that we are serious about ensuring that financial disclosure rules are rigorously enforced and corruption rooted out.
1.65NUMSA condemns resurfacing of xenophobic attacks
Irvin Jim, NUMSA General Secretary , 19 November 2009
NUMSA has noted with deepest concern and condemns with the contempt it deserves, the resurfacing of xenophobic attacks in our country.
The attacks resurfaced in the Democratic Alliance (DA) led Western Cape Province on Tuesday morning, 17 November 2009.
About 2500 Zimbabwean and other migrants from across the African continent had to take shelter and refuge at government buildings in De Doorns. This represents a gross reminder of what happened last year when xenophobic eruptions broke out in different parts of our country. Last year's xenophobic attacks caused the deaths of more than 70 and the displacement of over 120 000 people.
NUMSA calls on authorities to move swiftly and take appropriate action to ensure that these xenophobic attacks are eliminated once and for all. Over and above short-term measures that include getting the law to take its course, government needs to adopt a radical programme to tackle the problems of persisting poverty and high unemployment rate, widening inequality, the disconcerting state of service delivery, corruption and crime. The union reiterate our stance that at the centre of this programme must be the objective for restoring the wealth of our country and productive capacity to the people as a whole, rather than an enrichment of a few politically connected individuals who would find no problem in joining yesterday’s oppressor to exploit the masses.
NUMSA also finds it extremely disturbing that labour brokers are actively involved in promoting xenophobic attacks. They destroy the quality of jobs and once this is done, cut and paste workers between precarious jobs. In all this labour brokers take advantage of undocumented migrant labour as a source of cheap labour and therefore more profits. This strengthens our case for labour brokers to be abolished.
NUMSA has streamlined a fight against xenophobia in our daily operations against economic exploitation and all forms of discrimination. We call on all the people of South Africa, the working class and poor in particular to reject xenophobia and redirect struggles against capitalism as the fundamental problem.
1.6 COSATU N Cape holds PEC meeting
Anele Gxoyiya, COSATU Provincial Secretary, 19 November 2009
COSATU in the Northern Cape emerged from a two-day Provincial Executive Committee Meeting with a clear programme of action for 2010.
The PEC made a thorough assessment of the organisation, its structures and the role that we need to play in bettering the lives of the workers and the poor in our province.
As the federation we have noted with great concern the slow pace of implementation of the Alliance Summit resolutions. We resolved to further engage the alliance partners for the acceleration of those resolutions as they are progressive and are intended to take forward the process of improving the lives of our people.
We also took time to assess the performance of government from the highest to the lowest level. In that assessment the PEC came to the realization that there are still remnants of corruption left by the previous government. We therefore resolved to intensify our campaign against corruption.
The PEC of COSATU calls on all our members who are exposed to some of these corrupt tendencies to become progressive whistle blowers against corruption. As the federation we will defend and protect them at all cost because we view corruption as a worse enemy of our class than apartheid.
We call on all those who are involved in these corrupt tendencies to desist from their filthy behaviour as we will declare an unending war against them.
The PEC also re-affirmed its concern at the situation in the departments of health and education. Added to that, we are dismayed at the crisis in the “Mme re ka gothusa” project of the premier’s office. Our view is that the Premier’s office as the highest office in the province is supposed to lead by example in issues of financial management and accountability.
We are sincerely appealing to the Premier of our province to do something now and expose all the corrupt elements that lead to financial crises in government departments for the public to know. We are calling for immediate forensic investigations of the departments of health, education and the “Mme re ka gothusa” project.
We reaffirm our commitment to a functional reconfigured alliance in our province and call on our members who, out of anger and frustration, found themselves in COPE to get back to their senses and rejoin the ANC. In the same breath we condemn some leaders and members of the ANC who are members of unions outside COSATU.
The PEC took a decision to finalise the launching of all locals by February 2010 and ensure that induction is concluded by April 2010.
The PEC also took time to make preparations for the forthcoming provincial Alliance Economic Summit. We resolved to call for the creation and retention of decent jobs despite the current economic crisis. It is our new that the filling of vacant posts in the public service as well as the review and reversal of outsourcing and privatisation will go a long way to create sustainable decent jobs.
We have come to realize that workers in the companies that render outsourced and privatized services are the most abused and have no benefits, hence our call for such reversal.
In that summit we will also be raising our total rejection of Eskom’s tariff increase proposal as it seeks to create more crisis than coming with a solution to counter shortages. It is our considered view that the power utility is doing us injustice by requesting such an increase.
In our PEC we have already started with the preparations for the May Day celebrations which will be held in all five regions of our province on 1 May 2009. Our celebrations will be as follows:
1. FRANCES BAARD - WARRENTON
2. JOHN TAOLO GAETSEWE - KATHU
3. NAMAQUA - CALVINIA AND SPRINGBOK
4. PIXLEY KA SEME - DE AAR
5. SIYANDA - UPINGTON
We call on all the workers to prepare themselves to celebrate this important day which marks the celebration of victories gained by the workers against capital.
Finally as the federation we expressed our excitement in the confidence that the NEC of the ANC bestowed in our province by allowing us to host the national celebrations of the 98th Anniversary of the ANC (8 January) on Saturday, 9 January 2009, at the GWK Park in Kimberley.
We call on all COSATU members to attend the celebrations in big numbers to ensure the success of that event. Our view is that the confidence of the ANC NEC will be strengthened by the good our local structures to liaise with ANC structures for logistics in preparation for the big day.
We also welcome the evaluation of assessment of public office bearers and officials as pronounced by the Minister in the Presidency Collins Shabane. However, we hope that the outcome of the assessment and evaluation will be made public for the members of the public to be able to see the performance of their elected representative.
2. South Africa
2.1 SACP applauds the establishment of anti-corruption task team
Malesela Maleka, SACP Spokesperson, 19 November 2009
The SACP has welcomed the establishment of the Ministerial anti-corruption team to take forward government’s commitment to fight corruption.
This will go a long way to also reinforce the message of our 2009 Red October Campaign calling on all our people to join the fight against corruption. Fighting corruption is a necessary condition for building a developmental state, a state that cares and a state whose priority is the eradication of poverty and reducing social inequalities in society.
Corruption must be fought wherever it occurs, in the public and private sectors, as corruption is more often than not tantamount to stealing from the poor. Therefore the fight against corruption is not just a moral crusade but an important political struggle to defend and deepen our democracy in the interests of the workers and the poor.
Part of the struggle against corruption is to mobilize and defeat the corrupting influence of business interests in our revolution. We need to strengthen the struggle against the use of public office for purposes of private business interests. We also must expose and defeat the use of access to business resources to try and corruptly capture our organizations and government. Most promising revolutions, especially in capitalist environments, have faltered and even defeated because of the triumph of money and moneyed interests over the interests of the workers and the poor.
We urge the people of our country especially the workers and the poor to support government in this endeavour and also join our Red October Campaign to:
1. Boldly expose corruption wherever it occurs
2. Strengthen our trade unions as fighters against corruption
3. To consistently demand action against those exposed for corruption
4. Expose and roll back all forms of patronage based on use of positions of power to distribute resources in a corrupt manner
5. Expose and defeat the ‘tenderpreneurs' – those whose mission is the corrupt pursuit and hand out of tenders
6. Expose and defeat the ‘throwing of the javelin' – those using public office to selfishly set themselves up for private business opportunities!
2.2 ANC YL President’s response to SACP Deputy General
Secretary, 18 November 2009
Julius Malema, ANCYL President, 19 November 2009
The opinion article by Cde Jeremy Cronin, a renowned analyst and poet is openly reactionary, clothed in quasi-Marxist rhetoric, with potential to make a sorry and sad reflection of the true character of the South African Communist Party’s ideological steadfastness. What is worrying though is that Cde Cronin’s anti development and counter progress sentiments are projected as views of South African Communist Party. It is highly unlikely that Cde Cronin represents the views and true character of the Communist Party because the Communist Party we know is one that was able to mould Nelson Mandela from an anti-communist radical into a true revolutionary who did not only embrace the Freedom Charter, but was willing to take up arms to defend it.
Communist Party activists played an important role in the ideological, political and organisational configuration of the ANC Youth League in the early 1940s and early 1950s, despite the hostility they encountered from the Youth Leaguers, particularly Nelson Mandela. When Nelson Mandela rebuked the Communist Party and physically disrupted its meetings, it was the longest serving General Secretary of the Communist Party, Moses Kotane who paid particular attention to the ready to fight anti-communist militant (Mandela) and transformed him into fighting nationalist revolutionary against the white bourgeoisie and the British imperialists. William Nkomo, Walter Sisulu, Oliver Tambo, Joe Matthews and many of our predecessors in the Youth League matured within the revolutionary national liberation movement to accept the ideological guidance from the Communist Party. Practical joint programmes of what is now understood to be the alliance between the ANC and the Communist Party were pioneered by the founding generation of the ANC YL amidst condemnation by the Senior and older leadership of the ANC.
These realities about the Communist Party and many others make us to earnestly believe that Jeremy Cronin could not be writing about the ANC YL’s call for the Nationalisation of Mines in the manner he did if he truly represents the Communist Party. But because Jeremy Cronin chose to write about the Nationalisation of Mines in response to the ANC YL, we are left with no choice but to respond and expose the reactionary undertones that characterise his input. It is very sad that Jeremy Cronin decided to isolate me from the ANC YL 23rd National Congress resolution that “the State should be custodian of the people in its ownership, extraction, production and trade of mineral wealth beneath the soil, monopoly industries and banks”. We thought that it is only rightwing Newspapers and their attendant analysts who recurrently isolate me from the organisation, and indeed amazed that Jeremy Cronin has joined the band.
Socialisation vs. Nationalisation
Cde Jeremy Cronin takes issue with the fact that the ANC YL has called for Nationalisation of Mines, instead of socialisation. He says “this is why the SACP also prefers in general to refer to "socialisation" rather than "nationalisation". This is quite odd because in the same opinion article, Cde Cronin re-asserts the Communist Party’s call for the Nationalisation of SASOL. The SACP 12th National Congress resolved amongst other things, “to campaign for and ensure the re-nationalization of companies in strategic sectors such SASOL and Mittal Steel with an ultimate aim of nationalizing and socializing the commanding heights of the economy in line with the vision of the Freedom Charter”. It appears from this resolution and many others that contrary to what Cde Jeremy says, the SOUTH AFRICAN Communist Party has never preferred socialisation as opposed to nationalisation, and neither did it narrowly prefer nationalisation as opposed to socialisation.
In August 2009, the ANC YL released a Nationalisation of Mines conceptual framework on what our understanding of Nationalisation is, so as to avoid the confusion and misinterpretations that seem to dominate Cronin’s input. In the conceptual framework, we amongst other things said, “Nationalisation is not a panacea for South Africa’s developmental challenges, but it should in the manner we are proposing it, entail democratising the commanding heights of the economy, to ensure they are not just legally owned by the state, but that they are thoroughly democratised and controlled by the people”. What is vital and important in the immediate is that Nationalisation of Mines should happen and the question, methods and approach of socialisation is directly consequent of the decision to Nationalise. Comrade Jeremy does not appreciate such, he instead philosophises the entire question so that he can reach reactionary conclusions.
In the ANC, “transfer of mineral wealth beneath the soil, monopoly industries and banks to the ownership of the people as a whole” was correctly understood as nationalisation if the government that nationalises can justly claim authority and based on the will of the people. In the aftermath of the ANC’s adoption of the Freedom Charter, the leadership of the ANC recurrently affirmed “transfer of ownership to the people as a whole” as amounting to a legitimate government’s control and ownership of the commanding heights of the economy. Various evidence points to the fact that ownership by the people as a whole was construed to be meaning Nationalisation. Cde Jeremy Cronin is the one speaking English, not politics, and does not even provide a conceptual foundation of what is meant by socialisation.
Responding to a critique of the Freedom Charter by a Jordan K. Ngubane, who was against the economic clause of the Freedom Charter, President Albert Luthuli said in June 1956 that, “In modern society, even amongst the so-called capitalistic countries, nationalisation of certain industries and commercial undertakings has become an accepted and established fact. Only the uninitiated and ignorant would suggest that the Union of South Africa is going to Moscow because its Railways, Broadcasting and Post Office services are nationalised”. President Luthuli further illustrated that nationalisation as called for in South Africa and in the Freedom Charter did not amount to the Moscow style command economy, and this point is categorically stated in the July 2009 ANC YL’s conceptual basis on nationalisation.
Again in 1956, a leader of the ANC, Nelson Mandela said, “It is true that in demanding the nationalisation of the banks, the gold mines and the land the Charter strikes a fatal blow at the financial and gold-mining monopolies and farming interests that have for centuries plundered the country and condemned its people to servitude. But such a step is absolutely imperative and necessary because the realisation of the Charter is inconceivable, in fact impossible, unless and until these monopolies are first smashed up and the national wealth of the country turned over to the people”. There is absolutely no confusion on the understanding the leadership of the ANC had on the Freedom Charter, and the contemporary interpretations should not confuse us.
Former ANC President Oliver Tambo said in the 1969 political report to the National Consultative Conference in Morogoro that, “At the moment there are vast monopolies whose existence affects the livelihood of large numbers of our people and whose ownership is in the hands of Europeans only. It is necessary for monopolies which vitally affect the social well-being of our people such as the mines, the sugar and wine industry to be transferred to public ownership so that they can be used to uplift the life of all the people”. In his first public address after release from prison, former President Nelson Mandela said, “nationalisation of the mines, banks and monopoly industry is the policy of the ANC and a change or modification of our view in this regard is inconceivable”. Oliver Tambo, Walter Sisulu, Chief Albert Luthuli and Nelson Mandela played critical role in the consultation for the Freedom Charter and adoption by the ANC, and they could not be mistaken.
Beneficiation of Minerals
Again, Comrade Jeremy deliberately provides incomplete information about the Minerals that are beneficiated in South Africa, clearly with the hope that we will not have information to disapprove him. Indeed COAL is used for electricity generation; SASOL uses certain Minerals to produce oil and the Aluminium Smelters smelt Aluminium. The Mineral Wealth in South Africa that is not beneficiated locally far exceeds the ones that are beneficiated in ESKOM, SASOL and the Aluminium Smelters. South Africa is home to vital minerals reserves in the world, and this includes Platinum Group Metals (70%), Gold (40%), Manganese (70%), Chromium (70%) and 54 other minerals. What exactly happens to these Minerals is not known, yet Comrade Jeremy knowingly avoids this question because his main interest is centred on protecting and defending the existent property relations. The only thing we can do, as he suggests, is to transform the pattern of capital accumulation, not change it. We will never say that Comrade Jeremy is reformist because the Youth League will be considered as and labelled BEE funded anti-communist, only obsessed with shiny objects.
We said before that, “Our call for nationalisation is based on the Freedom Charter, but also on the fact that such will enhance and harness the State’s capacity to create jobs and open economic opportunities for majority of our people. The State control, ownership and expansion of our mineral processing and beneficiation will play a critical role in labour-absorption of many other workers into the South African economy. Buttressed by a comprehensive social security strategy and industrial policy, South Africa needs high labour-intensive programmes to decisively deal with the unemployment and poverty challenges”. This call in Comrade Jeremy’s books is reduced to the ANC YL’s obsession with bling to the extent that we can never think anything developmental, but bling. It is sad that previously, those who look like us were considered intellectually inferior by the white supremacists, and today Comrade Jeremy reflects the same sentiment, even before he interacts with the views of the ANC YL.
The ANC’s 52nd National Conference resolutions re-affirm that “the use of natural resources of which the state is the custodian on behalf of the people, including our minerals, water, marine resources in a manner that promotes the sustainability and development of local communities and also realises the economic and social needs of the whole nation”. This requires resolute leadership and decisive intervention into South Africa strategic economic sectors. There are lots of industrial beneficiation programmes South Africa can initiate and/or cause to happen despite jewellery. We are very aware that value can be added to Minerals not through jewellery only, but through various labour absorptive and developmental programmes.
The ANC YL said in August 2009 that “One of South Africa’s greatest challenges is its high levels of unemployment. Added to the low skills reality, the South African economy is not sufficiently labour-absorptive to the extent that even if the entire workforce would be skilled, the economy would not absolve all workers into decent employment. So the creation of various labour absorptive job opportunities is vital to deal with the unemployment and poverty challenge. Mining as a critical component of the South African economy should necessarily be used to expand and industrialise the South African economy in a more developmental, instead of parasitic mechanism pursued by the current owners of Mining activities in South Africa”. Comrade Jeremy did not read this, and instead suspects that myself as President of the Youth League “and others are missing this bigger systemic picture because when they speak of mineral beneficiation they are thinking of bling...sorry, jewellery”. Can it be possible that we dedicating our struggle against prejudices elsewhere whilst they exist within the organisation?
Black people and particularly Africans in Mining do not own anything above 10% of the Minerals extraction, production and trade in South Africa. Even those who think they own, do so on behalf of white owned and controlled Banks. It is an open secret that majority of shareholder capitalists in Mining are heavily indebted, and why is it that the main concern for Comrade Jeremy is the Youth League’s imagined efforts to save blacks and Africans in the economy through Nationalisation.
Cde Jeremy’s silence on the wealth that will be transferred from the white minority to the black and particularly African majority is very loud. It appears that the only concern Comrade Jeremy has is that these black indebted shareholder capitalists will be saved by the call for Nationalisation and nothing else. The Nationalisation that should happen should never be a blindly driven programme, but extremely cautious as it might impact on the government fiscus and disable the ANC government’s capacity to build better lives for all. If Indeed Gold Mining will cause more cost instead of benefit South Africa, then we will not concentrate our energies on Gold. Platinum, chrome, manganese, diamond, coal, and most of the other 54 minerals continue to be strategic minerals and their extraction, production and trade should benefit the people as a whole.
Expropriation?
The question of expropriation does not arise and squarely falls within the conceptual framework we previously raised, that “depending of the merits of the each case based on “balance of evidence”, nationalisation may involve expropriation with or without compensation”. This is vital and should be decided on a case by case basis. Part of the models we are considering as an approach to Nationalisation of Mines is the Botswana model where De Beers is a 50% partnership with the Botswana government and still pays royalties and tax. None of the Mining Licence Holders in South Africa currently have more than 30 years licence, and a substantial part of the country’s platinum and other vital minerals is not mined, entailing that if the partnership model is the one endorsed by the ANC National General Council in September 2010, the people of South Africa will be benefiting from as soon as new partnerships are entered into.
Conclusion
The Constitutional Court will not be involved in all these because our call for Nationalisation and its ultimate realisation will never violate the Constitution. We have sufficient political power and the question is whether we have the capacity, courage and will to use political power for the benefit of the people as a whole. Whilst important for the life of the organisation, debates should not seek to undermine the intellectual capacity of other comrades, but should be used as contribution to the development of our movement. Ideologues of the movement should never be tempted to fall into an arrogant trap and believe that they are the only ones capable of expressing views, and completely not care about engaging with (or at least read) official perspective positions of the component organisations of the National Liberation Movement.
The ANC YL will interact with all discussion documents of the movement, including the SACP Special National Congress documents, but will never agree to be co-opted to reformist programmes and projects of anyone. South Africa in 2009, more than in other period in its history, is strategically in a space and period to Nationalise Mines. The Communist Party should in this instance always seek to enrich the debate and discussion on the Nationalisation of Mines and avoid joining reactionary and counter-revolutionary forces who believe the status quo in terms of property relations is acceptable. No amount of bickering from both Right and fake-Left forces will diminish our efforts to ensure that Mines and other strategic sectors of the South African economy are nationalised. We also do not need the permission of white political messiahs to think.
2.3 More money and better spending needed on health
AIDS and Rights Alliance for Southern Africa, 19 November 2009
African activists have called on national and donor governments to sustain their funding commitments to HIV, increase their investment in the entire health system, and to improve transparency and accountability in the way that health funding is used.
The activists were speaking at a press conference in Cape Town, where they are attending a regional advocacy meeting on health funding organized by the AIDS and Rights Alliance for Southern Africa (ARASA). Adejoke Sonoiki of Nigeria-based Journalists Against AIDS warned that the fight against HIV is far from over, and that it cannot be separated from the fight for better health across the board.
“We should not let people far away from reality draw artificial lines between the diseases that are intertwined in many of our lives”, said Sonoiki , adding that without substantial increases in the amount of money dedicated to health by national governments and donors, their ostensible commitment to strengthening health systems was “empty talk”.
At the press conference, Paula Akugizibwe of ARASA presented a statement entitled “HIV is not over-funded: Health is under-funded”, which has been endorsed by 87 civil society, research and health professional groups from 30 countries around the world. The statement warned that “shifting funding from HIV will not fill the yawning gaps in resources for health”, describing this move as “a cheap diversionary tactic that offers no genuine or long-lasting solutions for health systems”.
Akugizibwe pointed out that the long-standing neglect of health, even prior to the HIV response, has resulted in a wide array of public health crises that are now forced to compete against each other for a meager pool of funding. “This competition is completely irrational,” she said. “We cannot keep shuffling our scanty resources from one disease to another and expect to see lasting change. Health, a vital requirement for stable societies and socio-economic development, needs to be prioritised and funded appropriately. But this cannot be at the expense of HIV, which underpins so many other health challenges.”
Akugizibwe highlighted that more than half of people who need treatment still do not have access to it – and that lack of treatment increases the burden of other diseases. In at least 4 Southern African countries, more than 50% of under-5 deaths are HIV-related; and globally, HIV is the leading cause of death in women of child-bearing age. However, as warned by Carol Nyirenda of the Zambian group Community Initiative to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria, who also sits on the board of the Global Fund to Fight HIV, TB and Malaria, backtracking in funding commitments is threatening the sustainability and scale-up of HIV programmes.
Nyirenda described the next round of the Global Fund as “extremely uncertain”, explaining that the failure of the US government and others to meet their funding commitments has resulted in a situation where the more than 2 million people who are on ARV and TB treatment due to the Global Fund’s support may see their continued access in jeopardy, and millions more may not be able to access treatment at all. “I am living proof the Global Fund has saved lives,” she said, calling on donors to “fund the Fund”. She points out that in 2007, for the first time, global AIDS deaths began to decline. “Why undo this progress? This is not a time to slow down investment in the Fund, but to accelerate them.”
Harriet Mabonga from The AIDS Support Organisation (TASO) in Uganda, emphasised that while more money for HIV and for health in general is needed, more transparency and accountability from national governments is also crucial. Last year, Uganda lost US$12 million from the Global Fund due to poor accountability – a situation that has been repeated in several countries across the region. “It is criminal to take from the sick to line the pockets of the wealthy and powerful. We will continue to fall behind unless our governments commit to using funds appropriately,” she says. She decries the lack of transparency in health budgets and expenditure, citing the immense difficulties that are faced in accessing data on health budgets, expenditure or outcomes – from both national governments and donors. “Withholding information is the best way to prevent accountability,” she said.
African governments were also put in the spotlight for their failure to meet regional health funding commitments, and for poor laws and policies that prevent access to health services for certain groups, even where resources are available. Allan Maleche, a human rights lawyer from the Kenya Ethical and Legal Issues Network on HIV/AIDS, pointed out that most African countries are yet to meet the pledge made in the 2001 Abuja Declaration, to devote 15% of national budgets to health. He also cautioned against discriminatory, laws such as Uganda’s anti-homosexuality bill that would institute the death penalty for same-sex relationships in people living with HIV, which he describes as “counter-progressive, both for human rights and public health”. He emphasised that the struggle for better health is not only about money and clinical services, but requires a range of social and legal reforms in order to be successful.
Lawrence Mbalati of the South African Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) described some of the challenges that have been faced in South Africa with drug stock-outs, and people being turned away from receiving treatment in clinics. TAC has launched a campaign on resources for health to address these challenges. “It is time to revitalise the struggle for better health for all, which includes sustained scale-up of access to HIV treatment,” he said.
The activists spoke against a backdrop of eyeballs inscribed with the words “We are Watching – Fund the Fight against HIV and TB.”
“We are watching donors, we are watching governments, and we will hold them accountable for the promises that they have made. The right to health is non-negotiable,” concluded Sonoiki. Following the press conference, the activists will be launching a “Show Us The Money for Health” roadshow across the Cape Town city centre and townships to mobilise public attention to this issue.
2.4 SANAC Sport & Entertainment Sector holds symposium
Thulani Njapa, SANAC Communications & Media Relations Coordinator, 19 November 2009
The South African National Aids Council (SANAC) hosted the first-ever, high visibility Symposium aimed at developing a Strategic Plan of Action to be integrated with the upcoming 2010 FIFA World Cup. The Symposium took place on Wednesday, 18 Nov 2009 at the Parktonian Hotel, Braamfontein. The symposium resolved to work within FIFA, SAFA and the LoC to use the 2010 World Cup to promote HIV and AIDS prevention messages within the context of FIFA’s 11 for Health programme and SANAC’s National Strategic Plan on HIV and AIDS, TB and STI’s.
The Symposium, coordinated by the Sport and Entertainment Sector of SANAC
(South African National AIDS Council) focussed on communications platforms,
advocacy platforms and social mobilization platforms that could be used before,
during and post the 2010 FWC to raise awareness about HIV and AIDS in South
Africa, within the context of the National Strategic Plan on HIV and AIDS, TB
and STI’s 2007 – 2011.
The Symposium sought to successfully connect sport and entertainment activists and advocates to enhance their respective cross-sector linkages to identify the policy and legal framework requirements by FIFA with respect to engaging men and women in the Sport and Entertainment Sector in promoting HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment that will create lasting impact for generations to come.
“We have set for ourselves attainable and achievable objectives through the deliberations at this Symposium. Our mandate is to put them to action and ensure that our actions count as we contribute towards the renewed call by the President and the Minister of Health in the fight against HIV and AIDS, and other related health issues. Through the FIFA’s innovative project – 11 for Health, which seeks to contribute towards promotion of health through sports, we can only achieve more.” So said Dr Ramathesele, the 2010 FIFA World Cup Local Organising Committee Chief Medical Officer and SANAC Sport & Entertainment Sector Chairperson.
Through its outcomes, the Symposium, entitled The Parktonian Minute on 2010 World Cup with respect to Football for Health, HIV and AIDS , identified the following key issues that require energy, partnerships and innovative strategic approach in dealing with them during the 2010 World Cup and beyond:
· Commercial sex work
· Human trafficking
- Stigma and discrimination
- Alcohol & drug use
- Child protection
The meeting resolved-- through a multi-sector coordination committee, working under the auspices and leadership of the SANAC Sport & Entertainment Sector-- to undertake the following:
— Leverage existing platforms
— Development of common messages to support the following activities/ campaigns
— Know your status campaign led by the Minister of Health, Dr. Aaron Motsoaledi
— SANAC’s I am responsible, we are responsible, south Africa is taking responsibility theme for the 2010 World AIDS Day and throughout 2010
— Actively contribute and participate in the World AIDS Day on Dec 1 2009
— Use available FIFA platforms and networks, through SANAC and based on the South African Government guarantees to FIFA, subject to discussions with FIFA.
— Use the FIFA logo, in association with SANAC for 2010 World Cup related activities/ messages
— Incorporate the FIFA 2010 World Cup slogan on messages to be developed
— Engage with FIFA’s sponsors to partner to support activities to be undertaken.
— Promote FIFAs/Government Health Promotion Strategy, thus creating a win-win situation
— Explore others areas “falling through the cracks” - Condom procurement & distribution and VCT at FIFA platforms (Stadia and Fan Parks)
Dr. Ramathesele concluded that by saying … “the work does not end here. We have to take some bold steps in striving to convince FIFA and the LOC to consider endorsing the SANAC Sport and Entertainment Sector as the 2010 World Cup Brand Associates. The SANAC Sport & Entertainment Sector is mandated by SANAC, and with concurrence from this Symposium, we are better-placed to streamline and position the numerous HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment programs in the making or currently in existence pre-, during-, and post-the global football spectacle, and that we will be able capitalise on the competitive advantages that we enjoy in some areas, particularly football.”
About Sports and Entertainment Sector Secretariat
The SANAC Sport and Entertainment Sector (SES) is one of the 19 civil society sectors represented in SANAC. The roles and responsibilities of the sectors are spelled out in the SANAC procedural guidelines and include implementation of the NSP goals and coordination, communication and consensus building within the sector and between sectors.
3. International
3.1 SSN holds national conference
Swaziland Solidarity Network , South Africa Chapter, 18 November 2009
The Swaziland Solidarity Network [SSN] will be holding a national conference early next year; the conference is informed by a political decision to building strong structure across the country by SSN leadership. This has resulted in launching provincial structure in all 9 South African provinces and it will be attended by over 250 delegates and 50 international guests.
The SSN wishes to extend its revolutionary gratitude to the SACP, YCLSA, ANCYL, COSAS, and the entire mass democratic movement in South Africa in helping us build this structures in Solidarity with the people of Swaziland.
We humble request all our provincial structures to register with our office at: ssnne...@gmail.com or call comrade Lucky Lukhele at Tell: 011 339 3621 Fax: 011 339 4244
The conference will be at the University of Limpopo in Pulukwane.
3.2 ITGLWF General Secretary passes away
Andre Kriel, SACTWU General Secretary, 19 November 2009
It is with utmost shock and sadness that the Southern African Clothing (SACTWU) has learnt of the passing away of the International Textile, Garment & Leather Workers' Federation (ITGLWF) General Secretary, Neil Kearney.
Neil died of a heart attack in Dhaka, Bangladesh, in the early hours of Thursday November 19, while executing his international trade union duties. He was 59 years old.
At the time of his death, he had served the ITGLWF for 21 years. He passes away just shortly before the ITGLWF's 10th World Congress, scheduled for 1-4 December 2009 in Frankfurt, Germany. The ITGLWF, of which SACTWU is a longstanding affiliate, has more than 10 million members in over 110 countries globally.
At this very sad time the thoughts of SACTWU and its members are with Neil’s wife, Jutta, and his two daughters, Nicole and Caroline.
4. Announcements
4.1 Murder trial of Dr Mkhumane
Sipho Msibi, SSN Convener in Mpumalanga, 19 November 2009
The murder trial of the person who robbed us the late Cde. Dr GT Mkhumane will be taking place on 07 December 2009.
The widow and the kids will highly appreciate your moral support on this day and we also hope as Mpumalanga SSN that the truth shall emerge eventually.
4.2 Community TV is under threat!
Join the “FREE-THE-AIRWAVES” march to Parliament on Wednesday, 25 November.
10am – Keizersgracht Street – Cape Town (opposite the Castle).
Cape Town TV (CTV) has been on air for more than a year, providing relevant, informative local and international programming to nearly a million viewers. Our channel is now coming under threat due to government’s lack of support for community TV. Most citizens are not aware of what is happening in the broadcasting policy environment and have not made their voices heard. If we want to save community TV from commercialization and preserve it as a space for our freedom of expression, it is critical that we stand up for our RIGHT TO COMMUNICATE!
Issues:
- ICASA plans to take CTV off air early next year to make way for cell phone TV because ICASA has not allocated any frequencies for CTV use !
- Non-profit community TV stations are charged commercial rates for transmission costs by the state owned Sentech.
- Community TV stations are not protected during and after the migration to digital terrestrial television.
We demand:
- That CTV is not switched off when ICASA licenses a new cell phone TV operator next year but that a frequency is located for CTV’s use.
- Immediate government financial support for community broadcasters signal distribution costs – including community radio.
- That Sentech provides CTV with a good quality signal and transmission for free or at a significantly reduced rate.
- That community TV is protected during and after the migration to Digital Terrestrial Television.
Demand freedom of expression and the right to communicate!
Support our demands – JOIN THE MARCH!
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
