COSATU Today, 16 March 2010
Mluleki Mntungwa
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Our side of the story
Tuesday 16 March 2010
Contents
1.1 COSATU Limpopo backs SAMWU protests
2.1 SASCO Welcomes the equality court ruling on Malema
2.2 COSATU condemns taxi protest violence
2.3 POPCRU condemns abuse of commuters by taxi operators
2.4 Wheat milling cartel referred for prosecution
2.5 POPCRU urges communities to desist from taking law into their hands
2.6 Conclude investigations speedily
3.1 PUDEMO President Mario Masuku Accepts award in Danish Parliament
1. Workers
1.1 COSATU Limpopo backs SAMWU protests
Dan Sebabi COSATU Limpopo Provincial Secretary
COSATU in Limpopo has supported SAMWU in Musina which protested today against the attack on SAMWU leadership, a shop stewards in particular over the dismissals of whistleblowers on corruption, the banning of labour brokers and bringing back outsourced services.
COSATU calls on its members to support all SAMWU protest actions in fighting corruption and crime.
2. South Africa
2.1 SASCO Welcomes the equality court ruling on Malema
Mbulelo Mandlana, SASCO, President, 16 March 2010
SASCO has noted and welcomed the Equality Court ruling pertaining to the gratuitous comments attributed to the President of the ANC YL, Julius Malema. We are delighted and overjoyed by this court ruling. We regret that these unsavoury comments by comrade Julius Malema were made in a SASCO election rally last year. This was a gratuitous abuse of our platform and left many students gobsmacked about the relevance of this incident in a SASCO rally. This ruling is a vindication of the struggle against patriarchal domination, particularly in the light of the 100th anniversary of the international women’s day.
Malema’s comments showed a disdain to women and their continued oppression under a patriarchal capitalist system. It was unnecessarily triumphalist over the outcomes of the President rape case, a tendency not even shown by President Jacob Zuma himself, who instead of basking in triumphalism like Julius Malema decided to extend an olive branch to his accuser. Julius Malema spoke as though oblivious, that patriarch in their conspiracy against Zuma abused the rape accuser’s financial woes. In a largely elite male political game, the anti-Zuma side used the well-known public outcry over sexual violence against women as a political trump card against the other, with which they had hoped to taint Zuma as a political opponent, regardless of whether he was found guilty of this act or not.
Malema showed ignorance to the fact that the class position of many women often makes them vulnerable to the might of powerful men, especially in politics. The former ANC Chief whip in parliament Mbulelo Goniwe’s case on sexual harassment of interns at his mercy is but a case in point. Malema made a mockery of the hundreds of women in South Africa who are subjected to rape in the hands of the men on whom they are financially dependent. His irresponsible and sexist comments about rape had the potential to further deter women from reporting rape. Beyond this, however, we welcome this ruling for it sets the precedent that no longer can men who wield political and financial power exercise their patriarchal muscles at women with reprieve.
2.2 COSATU condemns taxi protest violence
Patrick Craven, COSATU National Spokesperson, 15 March 2010
COSATU has deplored the violence that has erupted during the protest action by taxi operators against the roll-out of the latest phase of the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system in Johannesburg.
COSATU condemns unreservedly the shooting of commuters, blocking of roads, and burning and stoning of buses. We demand zero tolerance towards anyone who threatens or uses violence against BRT staff or passengers or the general public.
The law enforcement agencies must protect the travelling public and BRT workers, and arrest, prosecute and punish those who are guilty of unlawful acts of violence and intimidation.
Taxi operators have the constitutional right to engage in peaceful protests to defend their interests. But they have no right to violently deny other South Africans their constitutional right to travel to and from work in peace and safety, without being held to ransom by violent protestors.
The BRT system is a very welcome move towards a safer, faster and more punctual and user-friendly form of public transport which has already proved very popular with commuters. Its Phase Two feeder services must continue, so that commuters can more easily access, and make full use of, the buses on the existing routes.
2.3 POPCRU condemns abuse of commuters by taxi operators
Mampane Norman,POPCRU National Spokesperson, 16 march 2010
POPCRU has noted the outrageous ill-treatment of commuters by taxi operators in the past days on a basis of narrow and minimalist tendencies to bring our Government into disrepute.
The union is mindful of the hardship workers go through when explaining to employers why they were late for work. We believe that rules of engagement are provided in our constitution and adjure all parties to explore. Incidents of commuters dragged from cars, barricaded to use alternative mode of transport and usage of improper language against them injures the dignity and prestige of our workers.
POPCRU believes police officers and other law enforcement agencies must jerk-up their intervention mechanisms to restore humanization of our citizenry. We must move towards ensuring that through the words of the President of the Republic of South Africa in his State of the Nation Address by saying” On transport, we will maintain and expand our road network”. Our view is that Rapid Bus Transport (BRT) must be aimed to deal with all these commitments to avoid disciplinary measures and/or dismissals of our people in various workplaces. It is counter-revolutionary to frustrate commuters.
POPCRU cannot turn a blind eye on over-loading of commuters on busses “squeezed as sardines” to all places even far beyond the legalized seventy-five passengers limit and come to comment when a fatal accident has happened. Government must act now to bring the situation back to normal. This is a Year of Action!!!
2.4 Wheat milling cartel referred for prosecution
Keitumetse Letebele, Competition Competition HOD Communications, 15 March 2010
The Competition Commission, subsequent to its investigation into collusion in the wheat milling market, has referred its findings to the Competition Tribunal against Pioneer Foods (Pty) Limited (“Pioneer”), Foodcorp (Pty) Limited trading as Ruto Mills (“Foodcorp”), Godrich Milling (Pty) Limited (“Godrich”), Premier Foods (Pty) Ltd (“Premier Foods”) and Tiger Brands Ltd (“Tiger Brands”).
The case was initiated following revelations by Premier Foods during the bread cartel investigation that the cartel, which involved largely the same companies, also covered their milling operations. Premier Foods and Tiger Brands were subsequently granted conditional immunity from prosecution by the Commission provided that they fully co-operate in the Commission’s investigation and prosecution of this case.
In its investigation the Commission found that the respondents contravened the Competition Act by engaging in price fixing and dividing markets by allocating customers. This was facilitated through secret meetings and telephone calls between the employees of these firms. Arrangements seem to have been designed to, amongst other things, prevent price wars and discounting in the industry. The meetings were held at various venues, including churches, stadia and hotels.
Premier Foods, Tiger Brands, Foodcorp and Pioneer Foods control more than 90 percent of the wheat flour market. All four mill their own wheat into flour and use it to supply both their own bakeries and independent parties such as chain stores and smaller bakeries. Only Godrich does not have significant baking operations of its own. Premier Foods, Tiger Brands and Pioneer Foods have mills throughout the country, while Foodcorp and Godrich have mills in Gauteng. Flour is the main ingredient in the production of bread.
The Commission has asked the Tribunal to impose an administrative penalty of 10 percent of annual turnover for the 2009 financial year on each of the firms involved, except Premier Foods and Tiger Brands which have been granted conditional immunity.
“In addition to the negative effect of this conduct on consumers, it has also inhibited small bakeries from being effective competitors,” says Commissioner Shan Ramburuth.
2.5 POPCRU urges communities to desist from taking law into their hands
Mampane Norman,POPCRU National Spokesperson, 16 march 2010
POPCRU has noted the beatings and arrest of Nigerian nationals around Rustenburg in North West on accounts of alleged drug dealing and kidnapping over the past weekend.
POPCRU makes a call to people to refrain from fueling vigilantism that our society said is not a solution to any problem. Whilst we believe that communities have a right to express their anger, we reaffirm the commitment made by the President of the Republic of South Africa that “there are no grievances that can justify violence and destruction of property”. Any suspicion of any person(s) must be substantiated by concrete evidence to assist the police to bring the perpetrators behind bars. Any blanket accusation that the police are colluding with criminals must be investigated and be dealt with.
POPCRU believes the police have the capacity to make leads on any reported case by members of the community. Polokwane Resolutions have centred community policing as a viable model to enhance eradication of any acts of misdemeanor whatsoever threatening peace and stability. We call upon our communities to work with like-minded formations and other progressive organizations to establish street committees to enhance what police officers and other law enforcement agencies are doing to up-root lunatic acts within our communities.
2.6 Conclude investigations speedily
Zizamele Cebekhulu POPCRU President , 16 March 2010
POPCRU has noted the suspension of the Divisional Commissioner-Legal Services in the SAPS around alleged improper handling of legal cases and wish to make a call to SAPS to conclude the investigation speedily.
Whilst the union agrees that the matter remain sub judice, it has experienced a delay in handling such cases against our members in which cases dragged for a long time which in our view; “justice delayed is justice denied”. We reaffirm our confidence in all legal processes and principles amongst others; not guilty until proven otherwise.
POPCRU will be watching closely the case as an interested party on this matter of high imperative to our sector and to ensure that justice for all is upheld.
For more information contact
3. International
3.1 PUDEMO President Mario Masuku Accepts award in Danish
Parliament
Zakhele Mabuza, PUDEMO Head of Publicity, 15 March 2010
The Democracy Prize 2010 has been awarded to Mario Masuku in the Danish Parliament on 15 March 2010
.
Among the reasons for awarding Mario Masuku, the prize, it was stated:
"Mario Masuku's brave struggle for a better future for the Swazi people has made him a uniting figure and a source of inspiration for the numerous movements which are fighting for a free and democratic Swaziland, where the entire Swazi people benefits from national resources".
Danish MP and spokesman on foreign affairs for the currently most well-supported party in Denmark, the Social Democrats, Mogens Lykketoft, presented the award, which consists of a golden megaphone and some cash
Regarding Swaziland, Lykketoft stated: "It is important to get a government that can introduce general democratic rights such as free elections, freedom of speech, freedom of assembly and freedom of the press and a genuine democracy".
Furthermore, Lykketoft wished for a Swazi government with the ability and will to cooperate with neighbouring countries to fight poverty, take action against the problems with AIDS and the shockingly low average life expectancy age.
The prize was accepted by a friend and representative of Mario Masuku, who is from the Danish NGO, Africa Contact. He read out an acceptance speech from Masuku, who expressed that he was honoured to accept the award. He added:
"My people want democracy, peace and stability. And the current regime gives them more poverty and brutalization. This is their award in recognition of their resilience in the face of harassment".
The Danish Secretary General of Amnesty International, Lars Normann Joergensen, congratulates Masuku with the SWADEWA Democracy Prize 2010 and says on behalf of Amnesty International:
"Amnesty International has in many years criticized the widespread persecution of the opposition in Swaziland and has especially been alarmed by the consequences of the Suppression of Terrorism Act".
He added:
"Amnesty International will continue to put pressure on the Swazi regime to remove those regulations that undermine the legal rights for political activists, journalists and common Swazi citizens."
Several NGO's, political parties and labour unions were present at the well-attended ceremony.
