COSATU Today 30 October 2009
Patrick Craven
COSATU Today
Our side of the story
Friday 30 October 2009
PATRONELLA NDOU
4 November 1974 – 24 October 2009
Funeral Service
Her funeral will take place on Saturday 31 October 2009 at 06h30 at Stand #361, next to The Headman (Vhakoma), Madombidzha Village, near Makhado (formerly Louis Trichardt), Limpopo Province.
Contents
1. Workers
1.2 BRT workers hand memorandum to Joburg Mayor
2.1 COSATU shocked at job loss statistics
2.2 SACP Free State assess Red October
3.1 UN calls for USA to end blockade against Cuba
3.2 Justice delayed is justice denied
3.3 Petition by Students on UJ’s agreement with Ben Gurion University
4.1 Kelly Industrial makes us work like slaves
4.2 Ministers must buy locally produced vehicles
4.3 Labour brokers must be banned
- Workers
1.1 SAMWU holds 9th Congress
Tahir Sema, SAMWU’s National Media and Publicity officer, 29th October 2009
SAMWU will be holding its 9th National Congress from the 3-6 November 2009 in Bela-Bela, Limpopo Province, under the theme Deepening Working Class Consciousness Towards 2015 Plan.
The Congress takes place with positive developments in the history of SAMWU. For the first time the Congress will be held representing over 136, 000 members drawing in over 500 delegates, including guests invited from all over the world.
The Congress will further be graced by the presence of the Tripartite Alliance partners, who will be addressing the local and international delegates.
The Congress will be used as a platform to reflect on the past three years and to forecast on the next three years, up to 2012. The focus of the Congress will primarily be based on the Secretariat Report, Treasurer's Report and the proposed resolutions. The four days gathering will be used to critique these reports.
The Secretariat Report which covers the political activities will be the main focus for many, given the challenges facing the working class formations, the Tripartite Alliance and the country as a whole. By extension the Congress will infuse the debate from the recent and successful COSATU 10th National Congress.
The Congress will take place at a very significant time; it will take place after the successful National strike action, by over 150, 000 workers belonging to both SAMWU and IMATU, making history since the establishment of centralised bargaining structures for local government.
The victories from the strike range from a 13% increase to the filling of vacant posts within municipalities'. The victory from the unity displayed during the strike has left a mark against the global recession which the capitalist class wanted to use to scare workers from embarking on strike action.
We are further thrilled by the stance taken by the new Ministry for Co-operative Governance & Traditional Affairs to involve all stakeholders with interests in the local government to help deal with challenges faced by communities and municipalities, which the former Ministry failed to do. In the same breadth the Congress takes place when corruption is on a rampage. This will be forming part of the issues which the Congress will be debating, it will also debate the ongoing community struggles in various places across the country.
The Congress will conclude its agenda by electing the leadership which will be tasked to Sheppard the implementation of the resolutions that will be coming out of the Congress, through a program which the Central Executive Committee has the political responsibility over.
1.2 BRT workers hand memorandum to Joburg Mayor
BRT Workers’ Committee, 29 October 2009
Workers employed by the BRT on a three-month “voluntary” contract handed over a memorandum to Johannesburg Mayor Amos Masondo at the Civic Centre yesterday.
Over 100 workers marched from Johannesburg City Centre to Braamfontein before handing over the memorandum. The memorandum brought to the attention of the Mayor allegations of corruption in the selection and appointment of support workers in the BRT (station ambassadors, security staff etc).
Workers are demanding fair treatment in selection, and proper employment contracts. The “voluntary” contracts, which have a dubious legal status, expire at the end of October.
2 South Africa
2.1 COSATU shocked at job loss statistics
Patrick Craven, COSATU National Spokesperson, 29 October 2009
COSATU says it is absolutely shocked at the revelation in the Stats SA Labour Force Survey that the country’s official unemployment rate increased to 24.5% of the labour force in the third quarter of 2009, from 23.6% in the second quarter, and that the number of employed people fell by 484,000 to 12.885 million.
This means that a staggering 4.192 million South Africans are now without work. And that rises to 4.702 million if you add the 510 000 who have given up even looking for a job or have opted out of the labour force completely.
The more realistic expanded definition of unemployment, which includes those people that have given up looking for work, climbed from 32.5% to 34.4% in the same period.
Stats S.A. say that "these patterns … show the continued deterioration in the South African labour market ... job losses were widespread, affecting most industries". But of particular concern is that the key manufacturing sector shed 150,000 jobs, equivalent to 8% of total jobs for the industry. Wholesale and retail trade lost 110,000 jobs.
These statistics prove that we remain in the midst of a national unemployment emergency. But it is more than that. It reveals a fundamental structural problem in the economy, an economy which is being deindustrialised.
The underlying cause is the mistaken policies between 1996 and 2004, of cutting tariffs and privatising basic services, combined with a failure to restructure the economy, and in particular the totally inappropriate monetary policies pursued in those years, centred on the pursuit of the misguided belief in inflation-targeting.
All our warnings about these false policies were ignored, and now the problems they have caused coincide with a world economic crisis and the chickens are coming home to roost.
This is reflected in the wave of community service-delivery protests, which are about specific local grievances but are also related to the structural problems in the economy.
We have a new government committed to reverse these policies and implement a strategy to grow the economy and create decent work. But when they are still finding their feet they have got caught up in this massive crisis.
It is more urgent than ever that they adopt a bold new approach, speedily address these structural problems and implement the ambitious job-saving and job-creating measures spelled out in the ANC manifesto, the State of the Nation address and the Framework Agreement on South Africa’s response to the world economic crisis.
Immediate measures must be taken to protect our industries and prevent an even worse descent into total economic meltdown. Government, business and labour – and the SA Reserve Bank – must focus all their policies on saving jobs, creating new jobs, ending the jobloss bloodbath as rapidly as possible and getting the South Africa economy moving forward again.
2.2 SACP Free State assess Red October
Phel Parkies, SACP Free State Provincial Secretary, 29 October 2009
The SACP in the Free State province convened its ordinary meeting of the Provincial Working Committee over the weekend and considered among Others the political developments in the province and nationally. After extensive deliberations, the meeting highlighted the following critical
matters:
*Assessment and impact of the 2009 Red October campaign to date;
All over the province structures of the organisation are hard at work shouldering the mammoth twin-tasks of establishing Voting District – based branches, convening branch AGMs and preparing district congresses as well as ensuring a successful Red October Campaign. As an organisation, we are humbly pleased by the secure political and organizational work which is being carried out by all our members and structures on the ground across the province. A seedbed for a hegemonic working class party’s presence in all our communities has been prepared for a fresh beginning.
The key focus of the campaign is on the following areas:
- Convene Red Forums to focus on the state of health care service facilities and popularize the NHI scheme
- Mobilize the communities around the municipal governance system and participatory processes and
- Highlight problems of service delivery especially cases that involve corruption
Conscious of other objective limiting factors, this assessment is being done within a month of the launch of the Red October Campaign and its impact on the ground has been uneven, though satisfactory as there is a lot of ground work to be done over the next month and going forward.
Attention of the campaign will continue to be placed on challenges relating to privatization and outsourced health services; exploited contract workers; lack of medication and other necessities without which our public hospitals are being reduced to horrendous scenes of unnecessary loss of lives. We are firmly committed to demand the reversal of outsourced health services including termination of contract employment which is another form of labour brokering.
Together with the department of health we are working out an audit process through which we aim to determine as to who owns what, the duration of, as well as the cost involved in each of these outsourced services so that we can mobilize for the immediate cancellation (as first option) or termination once such have expired.
Notwithstanding the co-operation by the department, however, it is our gut-feeling that there is inherent interest by some members of the movement or their associates in these outsourced services hence a concealed resistance to let go of their firm hold on these apparent sources of self enrichment.
· *Preparations towards the Special National Congress; *
All party structures are gearing themselves for the special national congress and robust engagement within our organisation is ensuing which will herald into a provincial council over the forthcoming weekend to be held *on Saturday - 31 October 2009, *in *Koffiefontein*.
· *The on-going campaign for the transformation of the University of Free State;*
The SACP is not impressed by the public stunt of Jansen to act like a messiah towards a deep-rooted, institutionalized racism at the University of Free State. We are convinced that words alone are not enough to rid the university the scourge of racism and barbaric practices not even by the appointment of a ‘black’ vice chancellor can do. The past year experience in relation to our approach and attitude against the university shows that conventional methods are not adequate to get the authority listen.
There is a need to mobilize workers, students and all our members to embark upon a sustainable rolling mass action until our demands for the resignation of Jansen as well as the reinstatement of the charges against the racist boys are met.
Together with our alliance partners we are determined to continue fighting for a complete and thorough-going transformation of this university. We demand the immediate resignation of the university vice chancellor and reinstatement of charges against the Reitz four. We believe that no reconciliation can be elevated above human dignity, right to redress and social justice – justice must not just be served but must be seen to be served.
*Governance and Service Delivery challenges in the province *
On matters of public governance, the Party considers these with grave concern and resolved to explore internal alliance processes before communicating its positions publicly. Of particular importance – for our part – to vigorously raise and discuss internally with our alliance partners include the following:
- Review the impact and success rate of Operation Hlasela,
- State of Public Health Service – taking forward issues of outsourced services,
- The auditor General report,
- Deteriorating state of public governance – compromised professional ethics, creeping mediocrity and juniorization of senior management.
However, the party noted the report released by the ministry of CoGTA and the disturbing findings in relations to the state of municipalities.
We believe that this situation requires a serious rethink over the municipal leadership, institutional governance as well as financial management due to glaring weaknesses within the system.
Challenges of poor service delivery are inseparable from a culture of unaccountability, personal enrichment and corruption - the result being the spate violent protests.
3 International
3.1 UN calls for USA to end blockade against Cuba
Embassy of Cuba in South Africa, 29 October 2009
The world has spoken. The United Nations General Assembly has endorsed once again a resolution entitled “Necessity of ending the economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed by the United States of America against Cuba”. This is the 18th time the world raise its voice to condemn this policy and to call on the United States government to abandon its genocidal policy against the people of Cuba that has lasted half a century.
This time 187 countries have supported the resolution and only Israel and Palau joined the United States on the unjustifiable defense of its policy towards Cuba. These results constitute an almost unanimous demonstration of the international community’s rejection of the genocidal policy of the US government against Cuba and of the application of extraterritorial laws contrary to the Charter of the United Nations.
Despite all the
public pledges of change in foreign policy made by the current US
administration and despite all its the attempts to make the international
public opinion to believe otherwise, the truth is that the blockade against
Cuba remains intact and the US government continue turning a deaf ear to
the demands made by the international community.
As it was expressed by many Heads of State and Government during the High Level segment of the 64 session of the UN General Assembly, the blockade is unfruitful, undermine the international community's will and is the main obstacle to the economic and social development of Cuba.
The Embassy of Cuba would like to express its deepest appreciation to all the Governments, peoples and individuals that supported Cuba at the UN and that have backed along the years the struggle of the Cuban people against the blockade.
The Embassy pay special tribute to all the African countries that, despite all the pressures put on them, have once again close ranks demanding in the General Assembly the right of the Cuban people to decide their own future.
Together with all the people of goodwill all over the world and all governments committed to the defense of the International Law, Cuba will continue to demand the immediate and unconditional lifting of the US blockade
3.2 Justice delayed is justice denied
Lucky Lukhele, SSN spokesperson, 29 October 2009
The Swaziland Solidarity Network [SSN] condemns in strongest possible term the delaying tactics, to commence the trial of comrade Amos Mbedzi more than one year later. According to the Times of Swaziland 27th October 2009 edition the trial could not commence because "the Chief Justice is indisposed". We find this as a delaying tactic by the Tinkhundla government as they smell defeat and are aware of the invalidity of their charges against comrade Amos. SSN demands his immediate release from prison after a long period of detention.
Meanwhile as part of our every Friday protest the Swaziland Solidarity network [SSN] will be picketing outside the Swaziland Consulate tomorrow Friday 30th October, 2009 in Braamfontein Centre in demand of the immediate release of all political prisoners, the unbanning of political parties, the return of all exiles and the democratisation of Swaziland.
3.3 Petition by Students on UJ’s agreement with Ben Gurion University
We, the members of the University of Johannesburg community, condemn and oppose the agreement recently signed by our university with the Israeli Ben Gurion University, an institution with a history of racism, and of violating academic freedom. We cannot understand how UJ can, in good conscience, conclude such an agreement.
We call on the UJ Management to take active and immediate steps to rescind the memorandum of cooperation with Ben Gurion University, and to assure students that UJ will not develop any institutional relationships with Israeli institutions. We denounce attempts to collaborate with ideological agents of Zionism, under the pretence of intellectual and academic exchange. Such an agreement makes UJ complicit in the criminal occupation of and genocide against the people of Palestine. Israel is an apartheid and colonial state, and UJ should not risk its reputation by supporting an institution that backs apartheid and colonialism.
Palestinians have called on us and the world community to support an institutional academic boycott on Israeli institutions, similar to the boycott we had called for against South African institutions when we were struggling against Apartheid.
We, signatories to this petition, support the establishment of a sovereign Palestinian state, with its capital in Jerusalem, and oppose the killing of women and children, with cluster bombs, dangerous chemicals, and other illegal weapons, the starving and denial of livelihoods of Palestinian people.
4. Letters
4.1 Kelly Industrial makes us work like slaves
Kelly Industrial Supervisor, 29 October 2009
It is with a great sadness that I am writing this letter to you.
I work for Kelly Industrial, a labour broker.
I have been working for this company for two years as a supervisor but without getting night shift allowance .I have escalated this problem with many people in our company and even went to the Labour Department but it seems as if I am not going to succeed.
All the people in our branch got increases but only I and my other colleague did not qualify. Have you heard something like that before? I don't think so.
When you ask about the increase, they say we did not perform well this year. How can all the people get increase but only us do not get it. This is what COSATU calls human exploitation. We are being treated like slaves in our own country. Please COSATU you are my last hope.
4.2 Ministers must buy locally produced vehicles
Sagren Govender, Australia, 29 October 2009
I am currently in Australia and follow South African News vigorously. I seem to constantly defending South Africa but I fail to understand the issue when it comes to government ministers spending on cars and as to why there does not seem to be a push from the union forcing government ministers buying locally produced cars for obvious reasons.
I am sure the C class Mercedes produced in South Africa will suffice. I have noticed with some admiration Australian politicians driving their locally produced
vehicles and shunting overseas imports .
There should also be a drive for South Africa companies wanting to list on overseas markets to maintain their Head offices & primary listing in SA.
These companies have made fortunes on the back of South African workers and treat SA with contempt once they have moved away.
I have not come across one South Africa company overseas that actively promotes SA or it's workforce, all they seem to do is distance themselves from SA.
4.3 Labour brokers must be banned
Allen Jansen van Rensburg, labour broker worker, 29 October 2009
In the news I have been watching Cosatu's views with regard
to Labor Brokers in South Africa.
I have been forcefully requested by my previous employer to go to a Labor
broker. I can assure you that COSATU has my full support to ban all labor
brokers in South Africa.
I have various proof that my Labor broker has repeatedly over the last
two years manipulated, bullied and changed our conditions of employment without
our consent and are continuing to do so.
4.4 Metrorail injustice
Mr ZR Dubazana, 29 October 2009
Dear COSATU,
For you to understand the gravity of this problem you will have put yourself in the shoes of the community. Please use your journalistic privileges to fight this injustice done by Metrorail to the community of Mamelodi east.
Metrorail cancelled a service which was taking people from and to their homes from work. Life of a metrorail commuter is a struggle which metrorail management do not seem to understand.
Old people, disabled people, mothers with babies on their backs, walk 10- 15 Km to the train station far from where the community lives because the service at the local station has been suspended.
Metrorail advance the logic that they suspend services because there are criminal elements at the Pienarspoort station route. Then what is the purpose of having railway police if they are not advancing security on this route. They sit around and do nothing instead of improving security for the community who use metro.
They advance a premise that they will be upgrading the railway line two lines to and from Pienarspoort, then why are there no buses. Their objective is to punish the people; who are they to punish people. This service is for the people and does not belong them as management.
I would like to invite you to come to Pienarspoort station on Monday morning between six and seven to see for yourself what people go through in their struggle to get to work.
People are abused and no one is standing up for them. My struggle is for the service to be back next week, please help. We need your support.
