COSATU Today, 8 March 2010

Some weeks ago a SACCAWU member employed at Shoprite in the Western Cape filed a grievance against a manager for sexual harassment at work. The internal hearing while noting that the said manager failed a polygraph test concluded there was insufficient evidence to find him guilty. The company however did transfer the manager to another Shoprite branch. This manager has been transferred twice before once under the cloud of an investigation of sexual harassment.

SACCAWU is completely unsatisfied with the handling of the case and the problems of sexual harassment experienced by workers on the shopfloor and vowed to take this case further, including revisiting the enforcement of employment equity and sexual harassment policies within the company. In a sector like retail with such a large number of women, in particular young women desperate to keep their jobs and often employed under precarious and vulnerable employment contracts and in the context of the high levels of unemployment, women are often vulnerable and exposed to sexual harassment at the hands of mainly male managers.

Despite the unsatisfactory outcome of the internal hearing the worker was encouraged to lay criminal charges against the manager and went to Court on 23 February 2010.

The outcome of the case found the manager guilty of sexual assault and sentenced him to R6000-00 or twelve months of which six months and R3000-00 were suspended for five years. The manager was compelled immediately pay R3000-00. The Magistrate in handing down sentenced made the point that a clear signal must be sent to society that such acts will not be tolerated.

The worker with support of the Union and our Gender department will now pursue a civil claim against the manager for damages. This does not exclude suing the company, especially given the history of the manager and his previous transfer under a cloud of a sexual harassment charges before.

further demand the immediate dismissal of the manager.

SACCAWU want to send a clear message to companies who fail to enforce employment equity and sexual harassment policies that we will not remain silent. SACCAWU want to send a clear message to managers, supervisors and those in power that we will not tolerate sexual harassment in the workplace.

SACCAWU want to send clear messages to all those in the workplace that our members and women will not be quiet in the face of any form of harassment.

Especially now on the eve of International Women's Day we call on women to speak out against all forms of harassment in the workplace!

1.2 COSATU condemns defensive racist farmers

Solly Nani Phetoe COSATU NW provincial secretary, 8 March 2010

COSATU has condemned the racist response from certain individual farmers to the farm workers’ summit held in the North West Province over the last two days.

Farmers who still believe that their colour must speak for them could not succeed in intimidating or blackmailing COSATU and the farm workers who attended the summit in numbers on 4-5 March 2010.

100% of the farm workers who attended the summit confirmed all that COSATU has been saying publicly in the media in exposing those bad farmers. Farm workers submitted even worse examples than what we have been saying.

Denialist farmers will not help the summit, it will not bring solution to the current situations in the farms; defending racists and exploiters will make the situation worse.

As the federation we are on the ground with our members, because we know how our members and the farm workers and their families including farm dwellers are treated. Those farmers who are in denial will not intimidate us. We will expose them more than before. We defeated the apartheid racist regime in 1994; we will do the same with the racist farmers

These are a few cases we can put as examples, and demand that farmers who are in denial of racism to respond or take responsibilities for all those deaths that took place in the past two years, due to the racism, exploitation and arrogance of those farmers assisted by the Department of Justice and the police.

Ø Two farm workers were shot by Jako Swart in May 2008 at Delareyville.

Ø Oupa Ntsaku was shot by Johan Nel three times in Lichtenburg in October; till now no trial.

Ø Rochia in Swartruggens assaulted a young boy and put him inside the fridge and killed a person in 2010.

Ø Three farm workers were assaulted by Mr Smith a friends to the racist Johan Nel of Skierluk shooting

Ø Four boys in Brits were shot by Davie Swart in June 2009, in 2007 he shot a boy who is currently disabled due to a racist shooting

Ø In Bosdam on 22 June 2009 a farmer assaulted Lebogang Mosikare to death; till now the family is still waiting the postmortem result.

Ø On 1 January 2008 a farm worker was mauled by nine lions due to the negligence of the farmer.

Ø In June 2008 in Stella an old man of 55 years was mauled by six lions.

Ø Tshepo Gaorupi was mauled by nine lions; till now the case is still being investigated.

Ø On the 21 July 2009 Mr. Van Wyk shot a worker mistaken for a Guinean fowl at Schweizer Reneke.

Ø A farm worker killed by a farmer in 2004 was found dead in June 2009 at Amalia.

Ø A domestic worker was set on by dogs by her farmer in Morokweng in May 2009; till now the matter is still in court.

Areas in the spotlight for racism, exploitation of farm workers and farm dwellers are;

Wolmaranstad
Zeerust
Lichtenburg
Madibeng
Swartruggens
Koster
Tigane
Ventersdorp
Colign
Stella

There are many cases that are very painful that are still outstanding. Others are not reported due to the intimidation and victimisation by farmers and the police.

Therefore we demand that those farmers who are in denial, and the Department of Justice, go to the police and get those case numbers These are just a few cases about which they must tell the public that COSATU is not correct if they can prove it.

None of those farmers have condemned those brutal shootings, killings and assaults by those racist farmers

Racism is still taking place in the farms. Farm workers are still being killed by farmers - daily, weekly and monthly - and being called ‘Kaffirs’ and ‘baboons’.

Once again this federation called COSATU needs no nobody’s permission to expose racism. Defending our members is our mandate.

Racism is criminal; it must be exposed. Our campaign against racism is going to be intensified; we are going to start with black-listing all the farmers and boycotting their products.

2. South Africa

2.1 COSATU seeks to unite the ANC

Patrick Craven, COSATU’s National Spokesperson, 5 March 2010

COSATU has noted the statement issued by the African National Congress, which accuses the federation of being ‘divisive’ and ‘creating instability in the alliance’.

COSATU however respectfully rejects the criticisms and stands by every word of its statement issued on 4 March 2010. When ANC members read that statement carefully they will see that there is no basis for the criticisms levelled in the ANC statement. The federation seeks only to unite and take forward the ANC and the Alliance.

The federation was categorically not taking “pot shots at the ANC and the government”, but making a serious and well-balanced analysis of the State of the Nation and Budget speeches.

COSATU’s statement emphasised that COSATU has the fullest confidence in the ANC, both its membership and leadership.

The comments which are being condemned as ‘divisive’ were certainly not directed against the ANC as a whole, and we are confident that the ANC membership and the majority of South Africans will overwhelmingly support the strong stance COSATU has taken against what we have characterised as “a small right-wing tendency led by materialists and tenderpreneurs within the ANC leadership” who are “trying hard to take us back to the politics of labelling, name calling, back-stabbing, rumour and scandal mongering, marginalisation and closure of space for free and democratic debates”.

COSATU is criticising a small unrepresentative group who want to reverse the great progress we have made since the ANC 2007 Polokwane conference. The federation seeks only to unite the Alliance and the country behind the excellent resolutions passed at that conference and the leadership which it elected, in which we have full confidence.

2.2 ANC tone disturbing-NUMSA

Castro Ngobese, NUMSA’s National Spokesperson, 8 March 2010

NUMSA is disturbed by the tone and thrust of the ANC’s response to COSATU’s Central Executive Committee (CEC) Statement. The ANC’s response undermines the long held set of protocols in the Alliance for purposes of engagement, including the fact of not questioning each others bona fides and grandstanding. The conspiratorial questioning of Cosatu’s intentions is completely unacceptable and unwarranted.

The union calls on the ANC to uphold the protocols of engagement within the Alliance as contained in the previous Ekurhuleni Summits. On managing intra-alliance relations the Ekurhuleni Summit Declaration of April 7, 2002 stated, inter alia;

“Our organizations, though profoundly independent, are separate organizational formations with their own identities, policy-making mechanisms and internal organizational arrangements. In this regard, each component’s respects the independence of its allies”.

“Having examined the causes and the impact of the recent (2000-2002) intense public discord among some components of the Alliance, the Summit concluded that this was an unfortunate development which we must not allow to recur…Where there are areas of difference, we are committed to resolving them through ongoing constructive debate”.

NUMSA fully supports the articulations given by COSATU General Secretary Zwelinzima Vavi at a post CEC Press Briefing, and generally all his public utterances. Nothing that the Federation’s General Secretary Vavi, including at the said Press Briefing, is by any stretch of imagination at variance with the analysis and resolutions of the CEC.

The union calls on the Alliance Secretariat to convene an urgent meeting to deal with the issues emanating from the Cosatu CEC for the purposes of soliciting a shared understanding and programme.

2.3 NEHAWU backs outcomes of COSATU CEC

Sizwe Pamla, NEHAWU, Media Liaison Officer, 8 March 2010

NEHAWU has fully supported the outcomes of the COSATU Central Executive Committee CEC meeting and as an affiliate we reaffirm our unwavering commitment to work with all the affiliates to implement the resolutions of the federation’s CEC.

We fully agree with the federation’s assertion that the Alliance remains a correct weapon that will bring about fundamental transformation of our society and support COSATU’s firm commitment to work hard in healing any potential rifts and to strengthen the Alliance.

NEHAWU condemns the provocative and unproductive exchanges that have distracted everyone from the goal of ensuring that the ANC Government implements the manifesto policies without delay.

We will remain vigilant and mobilise against those elements that want to hijack the ANC for their selfish interest and will never allow a situation where poor people are used as voting cattle. We shall be monitoring the government to make sure that all its manifesto promises are urgently and fully implemented and will continue to put pressure to the current administration.

NEHAWU endorses the following COSATU CEC’s conclusions:

· The total rejection of Eskom’s 25% a year tariff increases and the opposition to the introduction of IPP’s in the sector. We are also concerned about the reports that the ANC and its investment company stand to benefit from Eskom because this is a slap in the face to the poor of our country.

· That education is more important than any other area of development and that we need to transform the quality and quantity of our education system.

· That the state of our health care system is in crisis and more resources are urgently needed if we are to transform the health sector for the benefit of the majority.

· We also support the government’s undertaking to introduce the National Health Insurance {NHI} scheme and we are fiercely opposed to the introduction of the Public-Private Partnerships.

· We commit ourselves to work with COSATU and Government in fighting corruption and nepotism in the public service and we call on all our members and society to join in the fight.

We pledge our full support to the COSATU campaigns and we will play our role in ensuring that our federation continues to make a positive contribution in our society. We know that our union movement will never betray the aspirations of our people and will continue to be the voice of the voiceless and be at the forefront of their struggles.

2.4 COSATU condemns rumour-mongering

Patrick Craven, COSATU’s National Spokesperson, 5 March 2010

COSATU has condemned the campaign of misinformation, slanders and rumour-mongering by some of “the usual suspects” within our liberation movement.

In particular we denounce a smear that is doing the rounds that COSATU General Secretary, Zwelinzima Vavi, has successfully interdicted the Sunday World to stop them running a story that he has fathered a child, now two months old, outside his marriage. The fabricated story goes on to say that he won the interdict because paternity tests are still to be done.

COSATU totally rejects this absurd allegation and demands that the rumour-monger produce the mother and child or immediately desist from spreading this lie.

This incident reinforces the federation’s call for an end to the tendency by a small but dangerous minority within our movement to return to the politics of labelling, name calling, back-stabbing, rumour and scandal mongering. It is not only offensive to the individuals concerned but closes the space for free and democratic debates. It is a tendency which, if we do not put a stop to it, threatens to destroy our movement, our democracy and our freedom.

2.5 COSATU Mpumalanga welcomes provincial budget speech

Fidel Mlombo, COSATU Provincial Secretary 5 March 2010

The R26 billion proposed by the MEC of Finance to be appropriated for the 2010-2011 financial year to fund the requirement of the Province is a step in the right direction towards the establishment of a developmental state.

This budget is in compliance with the ANC 52^nd National Conference resolutions and the ANC manifesto which prioritizes, education, health, decent jobs, rural development and combating crime and corruption as our strategic developmental priorities.

For the past ten years, education in Mpumalanga has suffered a lot of setbacks, ranging from leakage of matric exam papers, corruption, lack of resources etc. It is against this background upon which COSATU welcomes with both hand the allocation of R11 530 billion proposed to be allocated to the Department of Education.

COSATU welcomes in particular the following targeted interventions by the department:

¨ The provision of learner teacher support material

¨ Infrastructure development

¨ Enhancing the school nutrition programme

¨ Eradication of all schools in mud and shack structures including farm schools.

¨ Building of boarding facilities for learners currently attending farm schools.

¨ Although the scholar transport has been shifted to the Department of Public Works, Roads and Transport we welcome the R354 million allocated to fund scholar transport in the Province.

Mpumalanga Province is rated the second after KwaZulu Natal with the highest rate of HIV/AIDS infected and affected people. This scourge is destroying the fabric of our society.

COSATU welcomes the R6,420 billion allocated to the Department of Health whose priorities are amongst other the following:-

¨ Comprehensive HIV/AIDS grants

¨ Improving the quality of health care

¨ Strengthening of human resource

¨ Strengthening of physical infrastructure

¨ Addressing the health professionals OSD shortfalls.

COSATU further welcomes the interventionist role the budget seeks to play. For the past sixteen year or so, thousands and thousands of unpaid volunteers have provided free services in different departments to improve efficiency and service delivery to our people. We welcome the introduction of a grant that will ensure that those members of community will receive some form of remuneration and we urge government to speed up the process to permanently employ them in the nearest future.

While appreciating the progressive budget we would like to caution the Province on the following:-

¨ The budget is silent on the establishment of the Provincial Development Council whose purpose is to ensure the implementation of the decisions of the Provincial Economic Summit held in October last year as a response to the negative impact of the Global Economic crisis.

¨ The money allocated for service delivery should not end at the hands to the tenderpreneurs with no services with no services delivered to our people.

¨ The department should utilize the budget for the targeted projects – no carry-overs should be tolerated.

¨ The establishment of a university in the province to be fast tracked

¨ The need for the establishment of a Tertiary Hospital in the Province cannot be over emphasized.

The budget and the appropriation bill is welcomed.

2.6 COSATU supports SAMWU’s call for mayor’s resignation

Solly Nani Phetoe COSATU NW provincial secretary, 8 March 2010

COSATU and its affiliates is supporting the call by SAMWU members and the communities of Madibeng for the resignation of the mayor and other councilors who are implicated by the corruption report, which is still in the hands of the Minister and the ANC Provincial Task Team.

Members of SAMWU, the Oukasie community and communities around Madibeng have been on demonstrations, picketing and protest action against corruption that has led to poor service delivery people drinking dirty water, poor road and dirty streets.

COSATU will be part of the protest action, which will take place on 9 March 2010 to the municipality of Madibeng to hand over the memorandum to the office of the Premier.

It must be on record that this action is leading to other municipalities that are also part of the corruption report.

COSATU has resolved to take a lead in demanding proper services delivery in line with the ANC manifesto of 2006. The report, which is still in the office of the Minister, must be released and those who are implicated with corruption must be arrested.

COSATU provincial action against labour brokers will take place on 19^th March 2010 to the legislature demanding the North West Premier to scrap all labour brokers in government. The memorandum will include the fighting against high increase n electricity and service delivery.

On the same date, 19 March 2010, we will demand that the Minister must release the report with action.

2.7 COSATU NW condemns Madibeng Council

Solly Nani Phetoe COSATU NW provincial secretary, 8 March 2010

COSATU North West and its affiliates has condemned the attitude of the mayor of Madibeng and all the councillors for running away from a situation that was created by their dirty political agenda of capitalist and opportunist games.

The situation in Madibeng and its rural communities needs the intervention of honest leaders who will not defend their own political opportunistic leaders and who will be able to hear the grievances of the communities that are expected to drink dirty, contaminated water direct from the dam. This is per the instruction from councillors who do not care about the lives of the poor working class and the rest of communities around Madibeng.

Madibeng communities and workers have not been able to go to work since last Thursday and no one is worried about the situation. No-one is asking why there is violence at Oukasie and Maboloka communities. This is really bad for the workers who will lose their jobs as a result of corrupt councillors and officials.

COSATU is convening an urgent campaigns committee to develop a joint programme with civil society and communities to intensify the fight against corruption and for better service delivery, with clean water, health, housing, decent jobs, scrapping of the labour brokers, and the fight against the high electricity increases which are affecting the poor working class.

COSATU will be leading the protest action next Tuesday against the municipality to hand over a memo to the Minister of Local Government and Traditional Affairs.

These will build up action towards a provincial action that has been planned for 19 March 2010 to the premier of the NW.

We support SAMWU and the communities of Madibeng in demanding the removal of the mayor, councillors and officials who are implicated in the corruption report which is still in hands of the minister and the ANC PTT.

2.8 Alliance celebrates International Women’s Day

Dumisani Dakile , COSATU Gauteng Provincial Secretary, 7 March 2010

8 March marks an important day in the struggle for the emancipation of women at the global level. The Gauteng Province will be celebrating this event as part of its contribution to the Global struggle to liberate and free woman from exploitation from the bondage of economic and political dominance and also to highlight the challenges confronting our society in building a non-sexiest society.

The Province is hosting a Provincial Gender Conference which will be attended by more than 150 delegates from our affiliates, locals, alliance partners, members of the Mass Democratic Movement including the Progressive Women’s Movement of South Africa.

The Conference will assess the work that has been done by the Province over the last three years to advance the role of women in our society, deepen the gender perspective of the National Democratic Revolution and also develop a clear programme of action in taking the struggle forward.

The Conference will be addressed by key leaders of the Alliance on 8 March 2010 and the speakers will be the following comrades:

- ANC Deputy General Secretary : Thandi Modise

- SACP Central Committee member : Lulama Nare

- Cosatu 2^nd Deputy President : Zingiswa Losi

The Press is invited to attend the Cosatu Gauteng Gender Conference and the details are as follows:

Date : 08 and 09 March 2010

Venue : Dinwiddie Municipality Hall in Ekurhuleni

Time : 09h00 to 17h00 on both days

2.9 International Women’s Day, 8 March 2010

Gertrude Mtsweni, COSATU Gender Co-ordinator, 8 March 2010

International Women’s day has been observed since the 1900s and was recognised by the whole world in 1910 after a second International Conference in Copenhagen, attended by women from different countries representing unions, socialist parties, and working women’s clubs. Clara Zetkin, leader of the women’s desk of the German Social Democratic Party, tabled the idea of an International Women's Day to be celebrated by every country every year, for women to press their demands.

Even since then this day has remained the global date for International Women’s day. It has been observed across the globe and grown from strength to strength annually.

Women all over South Africa have being vocal and active in campaigning for changes in the workplace and in the community and also recognising and celebrating the achievements of women of the past, present and future.

This year we are celebrating 15 years of South African democracy with more women in the boardroom, greater equality in legislative rights, and an increased critical mass of women's visibility as impressive role models in every aspect of life.

One could think that women have gained true equality, but the unfortunate fact is that women are still not paid equally to their male counterparts, are still not in equal numbers in business, and globally women's education, health and violence against women is still worse.

For many years the United Nations has held an annual International Women’s Day conference to coordinate international efforts for women's rights and participation in social, political and economic processes. This year we mark 15 years since the adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Beijing Platform of Action for women. From 1-12 March the UN Commission on the Status of Women (UNCSW) has organised a conference in New York to assess progress made in the implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action since it was adopted in 1995 in China at the Fourth World Conference on women.

Whilst celebrating this day we would to like to give support to the UNCSW delegates from the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), Public Services International (PSI), Education International (EI) and Union Network International (UNI) to this 54^th session of Commission on the Status of Women (CSW).

This session is critical to the working class as the forum to reflect what still needs to be done by government, in partnership with unions and civil society, to achieve equality. We have learned with disappointment that participation of civil society and trade union delegations in this year’s session has been made impossible and is not being appreciated. We therefore call on to the organisers and on governments to ensure that:

- What has transpired on this year’s CSW does not occur again.

- Civil society, trade unions and NGOs assume their rightful place.

- All voices are heard and that member states consider the very legitimate issues brought forward by civil society.

COSATU, on this historic date, supports the call by ITUC and the Global Union Federation (GUF) on a global campaign for “Decent Work and Decent Life for Women” and we therefore call on all our unions to:

- Ensure that women are included in the negotiating teams and gender issues are included in collective bargaining and agreements.

- Promote and advocate decent work for women and gender equality e.g. maternity protection and protection from sexual harassment

- Elect women as shop stewards and shop stewards committees.

We call on government to:

- Adhere to the core labour standards of the ILO and ratify maternity protection Convention 183

- Ensure the elimination of gender disparity and improve maternal health and reproductive rights

- Protect women and children against human trafficking, violence and abuse.

We therefore call upon all workers to join hands in support of Decent Work and Decent Life for Women by promoting and protecting the rights of women workers. We also would like to support the call by the ILO governing body for the Domestic Workers Convention as this sector is the most vulnerable. They are abused by the recruitment agencies, have no social security, are expected to work long hours with less pay and they also find themselves being sexually abuse by employers.

Let us join hands in making sure that the women workers rights are in law and in practice.

2.10 DENOSA celebrates the 100th anniversary of International Women’s Day and Commonwealth Day

Asanda Fongqo, DENOSA Communications Manager, 8 March 2010

Monday, March 08 2010 jointly marks the 100^th anniversary of the International Women’s day and the Commonwealth Day.

DENOSA calls on all nurses in South Africa and the public to join hands in celebrating this significant day. In line with the Millennium Development Goals DENOSA fully supports the initiative of the White Ribbon Alliance for safe Motherhood that aims to raise awareness on mother and child safe healthcare issues.

With only five years left to realize the Millenium Development Goals DENOSA reiterates its commitment to work hand in hand with government in reducing child mortality and improving maternal health as well as promoting gender equality and empowering women.The Commonwealth Day will be celebrated under the theme “Science, technology and society”. We therefore call on government to invest and make use of science and technology in curbing the high rate of maternal and child mortality as South Africa is one of the commonwealth countries that have a very high rate of mother and child deaths.

2010, the International Year of the Nurse calls us to advocate for these issues, nurses as the backbone of the health care system play a vital role in the safety of mothers and infants. Nurses therefore stand together in urging the government to commit in delivering on the United Nations Millennium Development Goals.

In commemoration of International Women’s day, DENOSA calls on all South Africans to dress in white on Monday, 08 March 2010 to signify the strength, purity and the peace loving nature of a woman.

2.11 DENOSA and professional societies mark World Kidney Day

Asanda Fongqo, DENOSA Communications Manager, 8 March 2010

DENOSA and professional partners mark the World Kidney Day on Thursday, March 11, 2010

World Kidney Day (WKD) is a global health awareness campaign focusing on the importance of our kidneys and reducing the frequency and impact of kidney disease and its associated health problems worldwide.

This year’s campaign focuses on Diabetes that is the leading cause of Chronic Kidney Disease.

The greatest challenge is the general ignorance about kidneys and kidney related diseases. More than 5% of the adult population has some form of kidney damage, and every year millions die prematurely of cardiovascular diseases linked to Chronic Kidney Diseases (CKD).

Recent studies have also shown that most adults know very little about the functions, symptoms or treatment of their kidneys.

It is for these reasons that DENOSA fully supports the projects that are scheduled for this day by the Renal Care Society of South Africa under the umbrella of the National Kidney Foundation of South Africa (NKFSA). These projects include:

- The ongoing “Clicks programme” where free screening will be offered at selected Clicks Clinic

- A school learners educational and pupil testing programme that was started last year and will be repeated this year at the same schools

- The ongoing Transplant Donor Petition project that is driven in partnership with the Organ Donor Foundation

DENOSA of the view that educating General Practitioners, Nurses and other Medical professionals on treating patients with kidney disease is essential and through the compilation of Guidelines for the Treatment of Kidney Disease in South Africa effective optimal care will be achieved.

2.12 Gauteng Legislature celebrates International Women’s Day

The Gauteng Provincial Legislature will observe Commonwealth Day and International Womens Day on the 08^th March 2010 by bringing together business, government and youth with disabilities to discuss how science and technology can be leveraged to increase access to economic opportunities for persons with disabilities (particularly young women) with the long term view of fully integrating them into the labour market.

· Date: 08 March 2010

· Venue: Johannesburg City Hall (Cnr Loveday & Pritchard Streets)

· Starting Time: 09: 00 – 12: 00

The emphasis will on forging partnerships that whose progress will be monitored on an annual basis. The first of these discussions will center on young people living with disabilities and how to assist them through funding and skills development.

Media is invited to attend this seminar and there will be a media conference at 12: 30 to announce details for the new partnership to be formed.

For Further information please contact Sithembele Tshwete at 072 479 9831 or (011) 498 5937. Please use the e-mail: stsh...@gpl.gov.za to RSVP.

SACTWU Logo

2.13 Vavi’s address to the SACTWU National Bargaining conference, 6 March 2010

It is always an honour to be invited to speak to the Clothing and Textile Workers, one of the pillars of our revolutionary trade union movement for many decades. You proved yet again last year, in your heroic strike against the attempt to cut your wages, that you are among the most militant and determined sections of our membership.

I am sure you are continuing to maintain these traditions in your deliberations this week.

I must begin by paying tribute to two of your former leaders. We are even now struggling to come to terms with the tragic loss of Violet Seboni, a great heroine of the trade union and liberation movement. She devoted her entire life to advancing the interests of her fellow workers, and even lost her life while out campaigning for an ANC election victory. There will never be another Violet, and I hope that her example is helping you as you confront the many challenges your union faces.

Ebrahim Patel is still very much with us, even though deployed in government, where he is starting to make a significant impact. His first major address in Parliament yesterday, when as Minister of Economic Development, he introduced his Medium Term Strategic Plan, was a landmark speech.

It showed that he is determined to use his office to take forward the developmental policies of the Polokwane resolutions and the ANC Election manifesto. His Plan charts the way ahead on to a new economic growth path that will create jobs and prosperity.

EP’s years of service to your union, and his deep understanding of the problems the workers face, are undoubtedly helping him to stand firm on his principles and not be led astray by technocratic advisors who would like him to water down those principles.

2010 will be a historic year for South Africa, when we host the FIFA Soccer World Cup, the biggest soccer spectacle in the world. But it is also a year in which we face massive political and socio-economic challenges.

The financial crisis that developed into a full-blown economic recession continues to ravage our country and the world, and the workers, including clothing, leather and textile workers, are the biggest victims.

In the last nine months we lost 959 000 jobs, a new record, and workers lost a staggering R17 billion, further widening inequality. Unemployment rose from 23.6% to 24.5%. By the expanded definition that includes workers who have given up looking for work, unemployment rose from 32.5 to 34.4%.

In the last quarter of 2009 indicate the situation improved slightly, with 89 000 new jobs being created, but mainly in the informal sector, where millions are involved in survivalist activities.

In the past 16 years, under the leadership of the ANC, we have made tremendous progress in achieving the goals of the national democratic revolution. But in economic terms the main benefits of economic transformation accrued more to white monopoly capital than to workers.

The apartheid political economy fault lines remain largely in place. Despite progress in extending social grants, poverty continues to afflict millions and South Africa has now surpassed Brazil in terms of inequality.

Poverty, like unemployment continues to have racial, gender and age dimensions. Apartheid inequalities remain, as whites remain better off than Indians, Indians better off than Coloureds and Coloureds better off than Africans. To add salt to the injury, inequalities are now growing within every racial group.

Super exploitation and oppression of workers remains widespread. We have a two-tier labour market system already, in which, broadly, the workers covered by the collective bargaining system through workplace, sectoral and industry wide bargaining councils are relatively better off, with better job security, pay and working conditions and are generally protected by the labour laws.

But there is a second layer, spread across all sectors of the economy, including your own, who are not unionised, not covered by bargaining councils, not protected by the labour laws and who face the brutality of labour brokers, merchandisers, farm and domestic employers.

Unions and government have largely failed to protect this category of workers. Despite fine resolutions to organise them they remain outside the unions and government has not developed the capacity to protect them.

Government’s threat to introduce a wage subsidy to incentivise employers to employ young people will mean the creation of a third category of the super-super exploited workers.

Comrades

We warmly welcome the Industrial Policy Action Plan 2 (IPAP2) released by the government’s economic cluster, and Comrade Patel’s Strategic Plan. These will go a long way to address the apartheid political economy fault lines and hopefully break the backbone of unemployment, poverty and inequality.

But we warn that for industrial policies to succeed they must be supported by appropriate macroeconomic policies, which remain heavily contested.

Alliance Summits, and the Alliance Economic Summit’s resolutions, have gone a long way to close policy gaps, but, to our frustration and anger, government continues with a tendency inherited from the previous administration to ignore policy directives it does not like and only implement those areas that the markets/capital are happy with.

The Alliance Summit resolutions must form the basis of government policy. The November 2009 Summit’s commission on socio-economic policy agreed that we are in a serious crisis and, as such, we need to act with appropriate urgency and decisiveness in implementing the response and restructuring the economy.

Important elements of the Commission’s broad agreement have not been taken forward by the government. We cannot continue going to meetings, argue our case and win the day by convincing the majority, only for those decisions to be undermined and sidestepped by bureaucrats in the Treasury and by government leaders.

We have decided to revive the COSATU campaign against unemployment and poverty we launched in 1999 and will immediately:

1. Convene a meeting of the three union federations, in line with the resolutions of the recent Nedlac labour conference, to work together more systematically to unite all workers’ organisations and change the apartheid political economy fault lines. We hope we will convene a broad workers’ summit during 2010.

2. Call for a meeting with the ANC leadership to discuss in particular our rejection of the wage subsidy policy for youth employment. We shall take the opportunity to explain why we reacted angrily to the budget speech policy framework, which undermined the spirit of the Alliance Summits.

3. In March and April we will convene COSATU Provincial Shop Stewards Councils and workplace meetings to canvas support for rolling mass action. The CEC have instructed the COSATU NOBs to instruct our lawyers to submit a Section 77 notice to cover our demands for:

a) A total ban on labour broking, and implementation of other measures to protect vulnerable workers such as farm workers and workers employed in small/medium enterprises who are facing the brunt of super-super exploitation

b) Withdrawal of the wage subsidy policy contained in the speech of the Finance Minister that will further restructure working class and open young people to super exploitation

c) Macroeconomic policy that supports and not undermines a new growth path and industrial policy.

Once again COSATU is proving that it is not just being critical but offering no alternative policy. We were the first institution to table industrial policy document whose many elements have now been taken forward by the IPAP2. We will be the first institution to release proposals for a new growth path.

We totally reject Eskom’s 25% a year tariff increases and are questioning the role of NERSA, which has blatantly ignored the overwhelming opposition to the increases expressed by the public at their hearings.

We remain opposed to privatisation of power generating capacity and completely reject the introduction of IPPs into the sector. Privatisation is not an answer or panacea to societal problems. It will increase and not decrease the prices, it will sideline those who want access to electricity and will make the current price increases look like a Sunday school picnic.

To the best of our recollection there is no ANC policy calling for the introduction of private investors in power generation. Where and when was this decision taken? To us this, together with the policy on wages subsidies for the youth, is an example of how conservative and pro-business bureaucrats manipulate and sidestep democratic processes.

We shall immediately submit a new Section 77 Notice, or possibly use the existing and previous one which was never resolved, and if the tariff policy is not changed, to embark on strike action and street protests against increases which will devastate poor consumers, push up inflation and lead, according to the estimate of the SA Chamber of Commerce and Industry, to 250 000 more jobs being lost. A good proportion of these will be in the clothing, textile and leather industries.

Comrades

The 2009 ANC election manifesto identified the key challenges and priorities we face - jobs, education, health, rural development/food security/agrarian reforms and crime and corruption. But we are concerned that in addition to the apartheid political and economic fault lines, our society is falling behind important aspects of development that should be cornerstones of our new society.

Education is the foundation on which all nations have liberated themselves. Whilst we have made tremendous progress on many areas such as improving infrastructure, delivery of books, enrolment of children, improving access by opening more no-fee schools, etc. we have not transformed the education system in both quality and quantity.

Inequalities stubbornly remain in place. The poor’s children remain trapped in inferior education with wholly inadequate infrastructure. 70% of our schools do not have libraries and 60% do not have laboratories. 60% of children are pushed out of the schooling system before they reach grade 12.

Of the 1 550 790 South African children who started school in 1998, only 551 940 of them registered for the matric class. That is a drop-out rate of 64%. Of these 551 940 who wrote matric exams, only 334 609 (60.6%) passed matric and just 109 697 achieved university entrance.

That means that 1 216 181 of the original 1998 intake are left with no qualifications and, given the current rate of unemployment, no jobs, no hope and no future. No wonder 75% of all the unemployed are made up of those who are below the age of 35 years. No wonder why there is so much crime and other social ills such collapse of family values, HIV/AIDS, etc.

The children of the rich are in private schools. The children of the middle class, now joined by a minority of blacks are in the former Model C schools. Both private and former Model C schools are in varying degrees better than the schools the working class’s kids attend.

We warmly welcomed the selfless, heroic and revolutionary stance adopted by the SADTU leadership in its battle, sometimes with its own structures and members, to save generations of working class children from this unfolding tragedy. Recently SADTU sought not only to lead itself and other teacher unions but the society as well. We welcomed the statement of recommitment by SADTU, NAPTOSA and SAOU.

We will also campaign to ensure that parents appreciate the critical role they can play in turning this situation around and we call on your members to stand for positions in the School Governing Bodies and help to foster a climate of respect for education, schools and educators.

Health is another priority area. Only a healthy nation can be productive. Health is a critical measurement on whether progress to develop a nation is being registered. Our health system is in crisis. Out health status, measured by the United Nation’s Millennium Development Goals indicators, is deteriorating. Maternal mortality has increased from 230 mothers per 100,000 dying in 2000 to 400 in 2005, with latest estimates of 575-623 deaths. The MDG target is 38. South Africa stands out internationally for the extent of the deterioration since 2000 when the MDGs were introduced.

Much of this deterioration is as a result of the HIV and AIDS pandemic, with 1,000 AIDs-related deaths per day in South Africa (and another 1,450 people becoming HIV infected each day). South Africa’s death statistics, with the young and working age dying in droves, resembles a country in a terrible war.

At least 70% of the caseload in the public health system is now taken up by HIV/AIDS cases, crowding out the capacity to treat other medical conditions. Moreover, while we seem unable to treat more than half the 800,000 needing anti-retroviral treatment, that number is going to rise to 5,5 million within five years (these are people already HIV infected who will reach full-blown AIDS).

Again, just as with everything else, this crisis discriminates according to race, gender and class. It is black people and the working class that face humiliation in dysfunctional public institutions whilst the rich and the middle class enjoy better resourced and health care in the private hospitals.

We have adopted the government’s ten-point plan and committed ourselves to play our role in ensuring we overcome this daunting health challenge. Our 2010 programme refocuses our movement to fight the HIV and AIDS epidemic.

The National Health Insurance scheme that is still to be introduced will go a long way in insuring that we transform health for the benefit of the majority. So far government has heroically defended the logic of the NHI against a systematic and well-orchestrated campaign of the right wing.

We are however extremely concerned though that the government is giving in to capitalist pressures by introducing Public-Private Partnerships which will lead to privatisation of the health services through the backdoor.

Comrades

Another priority is crime, which afflicts the working class more than the capitalist class and the middle strata. Workers employed by labour brokers in restaurants and in shopping complexes tell frightening tales of robbery and rape they have to contend with daily when they knock off close to midnight without access to a safe, reliable and affordable transport system.

House breaking, petty crimes such as pick pocketing in the trains and taxis, rape and theft, are daily experiences of workers.

Our mass campaign against crime has not started despite the ANC supporting the campaign strongly. The promised street committees must be set up urgently to tackle this massive problem. We will work with the police stations to establish community safety forums and ensure that our campaign never degenerates into vigilantism.

At the same time our campaign against corruption and the culture of self-enrichment must be stepped up. The people of South Africa clearly share our deep concern that corruption, particularly the abuse of public office for private enrichment, is a cancer that is threatening the foundations of our democracy. It must be fought wherever it occurs, in the public and private sectors.

The large majority of public representatives and senior officials are honest and dedicated servants of the public and not involved in any form of corrupt activities. But for as long as a minority can get away with fraudulent activities, it will undermine public confidence in all officials and the whole democratic system.

Some of the violent service delivery protests that have spread through some of our poorest communities have been triggered by the belief that the people’s representatives have deserted the masses. This is why COSATU and its partners have to become more involved in these community campaigns

The ANC’s 2004 manifesto committed government to “ensure efficient functioning of all anti-corruption structures and systems including whistle-blowing, blacklisting of corrupt companies, implementation of laws to ensure exposure of, and action against, private sector corruption, and quicker processes to deal with any corrupt civil servants and public officials”.

It is not good enough for ministers and public officials to hide behind the argument that they have ‘declared an interest’ in the companies they and their families own. The fact that they are in business to make money creates an inevitable conflict of interest when they are legislating in parliament, a provincial legislature or municipal council.

Public representatives must be forced to choose whether they are servants of the public or in business to make profits. They cannot be both at the same time. The succession of corruption scandals and the spread of the capitalist culture of greed and self-enrichment are threatening to unravel the fabric of society and undermine all the great progress we have made.

This has never been just a problem in the public sector. The source of corruption is the very system of personal accumulation of wealth – the capitalist system itself, which also corrupts and tempts public representatives.

A culture has taken root in our society which has led to the obscene levels of salaries, bonuses and perks for top executives particularly in the private sector.

A particular problem has been one we call ‘throwing the javelin’, where politicians, public servants and unionists feather their nests while still in public service, by creating future business opportunities. They then leave the service to work in the same sector in a private company and profit from the opportunities they themselves had created as public servants.

COSATU is demanding at the very least a five-year cooling off period after public servants leave public office before they can take any such position in the private sector.

We are encouraged by overwhelming support for our call for a ‘lifestyle audit’ of senior public officials, to assist in the fight against corruption. We now want the audits to be conducted not only on the national government but to all provincial legislatures and local government.

This call does not in any way suggest that all cabinet ministers and senior government officials are suspects. It is not intended to feed into racial stereotypes that all wealthy blacks should be investigated or undermining their right to be rich like their white counterparts. The call is directed to all cabinet ministers and senior public officials whether they are black or white.

Suggestions have been made that COSATU’s motives for raising the issue is part of a campaign to target political opponents. This is untrue. The fight against corruption has to target culprits regardless of their political affiliations or ideologies.

Comrades

COSATUs remain firmly committed as ever to the Alliance, which remains relevant and a weapon we should use to effect fundamental transformation of our society. However, there is a small right-wing tendency led by materialists and tenderpreneurs within the ANC leadership working hard to take us back to the pre-Polokwane days and to the politics of labelling, name calling, back-stabbing, rumour and scandal mongering, marginalisation and closure of space for free and democratic debates.

The mainstream leaders of the ANC, who form the majority on the NEC, have not joined in the campaign. But there are worrying signs that the new tendency may have succeeded to at least muting most ANC leaders.

We have decided to launch a campaign to defend the legacy of the ANC, which is currently threatened by this small band of materialists hell-bent on using their positions to enrich itself and turn our state into a predator state.

Accordingly we are launching a national campaign to swell the ranks of the ANC and SACP and defend our gains in particular at the policy level. We seek to recruit at least a quarter of our current 2 million members to be active in the ANC and the SACP. Each affiliate is to develop a practical campaign to first recruit workers into COSATU and to the ANC and the SACP based on quotas informed by the size of each affiliate in each province.

We shall launch a political education campaign to ensure that only the most political and class conscious of our members participate in the ANC and the SACP. In this regard we recall the policy of the federation that all unions should spend at least 10% of their income on education and training.

We shall be convening major bilateral with the SACP and ANC Youth League to finalise our discussions on our common approach to taking forward all the demands of the Freedom Charter, to develop a joint programme of action covering areas of mutual interest, and to finalise the discussions on lifestyle audits.

We shall steadfastly defend all the leaders of the ANC in particular the President and the Secretary General who are currently the focus of systematic attack from the group referred to above. This small impatient group is not even prepared for wait for the normal process of nomination and may move a vote of no confidence in the forthcoming ANC National General Council. Their action may only plunge the ANC into unprecedented crisis, which may destroy its unity and cohesion forever – something they don’t care a damn about.

I am sure you will share our disgust at the racist and bigoted attacks on President Jacob in the British tabloid media. They are an attack not on just one individual but on every South African.

We reaffirm our full support for the President - who was democratically elected as President of both the ANC and the country - and condemns the British media and any people in South Africa who seek to get rid of the people’s choice in pursuit of their right-wing agendas.

2.14 Private security officers must be vetted

Mampane Norman, POPCRU National Spokesperson, 5 march 2010

POPCRU has noted the unfortunate incident around Hammanskraal area in which a security officers allegedly “robbed themselves”. We condemn the incident in the strongest terms. The union has noted these men were “trusted” to fulfill their duties and maintain that security vetting has been a challenge in this industry.

POPCRU calls upon Government to stamp its authority and regulate the companies on every aspect of compliance inclusive of labour laws violation by some; who pay our sons and daughters slave wages. Many security officers are not being paid in par with the grades they possess and in certain instances our institutions are allegedly guarded by foreign-based companies.

This confirms what POPCRU has been saying that we can’t have a security officer trained for security duties for mere three weeks and be given firearms to handle. In certain instances are expected to guard Government building in which classified information is stored. We call upon all Government to regulate the industry as a matter of extreme urgency. We cannot have this selfish and improper acts continuing unattended to.

POPCRU re-affirms its stance that the security status of the country cannot be compromised. And congratulate police officers who responded to the call of duty and restored order.

2.15 POPCRU calls on police to use water cannons in crowd control

Mampane Norman, POPCRU National Spokesperson, 5 march 2010

POPCRU has urged Government and the Ministry of Police to consider using water cannons as means of controlling the recent Municipal services protests that are ravaging the country and in particular Mpumalanga.

As a modern Democracy SA cannot sit back and claims it’s business as usual. We are actually reversing the rich heritage that our Police Officers in Western Cape stood up against police brutality in Strand, Western Cape; where POPCRU was finally launched.

Whilst we agree with the President of the Republic of South Africa, Mr. Jacob Zuma that” there are no grievances that can justify violence and the destruction of property” and on the other we are content Police Officers responsible to protect life and property; we cannot overlook the pain and displacement of our people through these protests.

POPCRU calls upon Government to centre these vital imperatives to restore law and order in our country. Enough is enough!

POPCRU Logo

2.16 POPCRU deplores witchcraft attacks

Mampane Norman, POPCRU National Spokesperson, 5 march 2010

POPCRU has noted the gruesome attack on our citizenry by some jealous lunatics masquerading under an obsolete and superstitious belief system that continue to undermine human rights heritage of our progressive, constitutional democratic and tolerant society.

This comes after reports that a family in Makgaung Village, Limpopo, was left destitute after an alleged attack by some members of the community. POPCRU deplores the incident which cannot even be proved in the court of law even under the customary law; and make a clarion call to mankind to refrain from such moronic acts.

We are therefore calling upon the Law Enforcement Agencies to investigate this matter and bring to book any other person(s) who influenced that unfortunate act.

POPCRU believes this poses an a challenge if indeed there are still people who continue to orchestrate such improper acts under the pretext of culture; and we therefore adjure the House of Traditional Leaders to undertake intensive traditional education road shows to dispel such myth within our society.

3. International

3.1 Masuku gets democracy Award from Denmark

Pudemo Head of Publicity, 8 March 2010

Mario Masuku the President of the only liberation movement in Swaziland, PUDEMO, is to receive an award from Denmark. A solidarity group based in Denmark has motivated for President Mario Masuku to receive the DEMOCRACY AWARD for fighting for peace and democracy in Swaziland. The award which will be given in the Parliament of Denmark by one of the most respected legislators in that country, Mr Mogens Lykketoft, a former cabinet minister. This is in recognition of the role played by Masuku in trying to change the undemocratic system in Swaziland and leading the liberation struggle in Swaziland. The significance of Mario receiving the award is that he will be the first recipient. What an honour.

In a statement issued in favour of Masuku, Nanna Olesen states that:

We hope you are all fine in Swaziland and still keeping the spirit high. We want you to know, that your friends send you warm greetings from Denmark.

We have made a Democracy Prize. This is a price which is to be given to a special person who is fighting for democracy some place/country in the world. We want to give the Democracy Prize 2010 to Mario Masuku, the leader of PUDEMO. We believe Mario Masuku and thereby PUDEMOs work is very important for the people of Swaziland. We hope by giving this price that it will contribute in making Swaziland a land with democracy, free elections and human rights. We also hope by giving this prize that the media in Swaziland will focus more on the important fight for democracy which Mario Masuku and PUDEMO is doing.

We have arranged that the Democracy Prize will be handed in the Danish Parliament by an important Danish politician named Mogens Lykketoft. Mogens Lykketoft was for some years ago the leader of the party Socialdemokratiet (The Social Democracy Party) which at the present time is the biggest party in Denmark. Mogens Lykketoft was also a big opponent of the Apartheid-system in South Africa years back. When we think of Mario Masuku, we often compare him with the great freedom fighter Mr. Mandela. Therefore we also think that Mogens Lykketoft, as a former fighter against the Apartheid, is the right man to handover the Democracy Prize to Mario Masuku

We in PUDEMO and indeed all its allies in the progressive movement of Swaziland congratulate our President for achieving this and welcomes the revolutionary gesture shown. We are aware that as a humble servant of the people he did not expect to get any awards for his sacrifices. His greatest award will be to see all the people of Swaziland free and living a better life. This award shows that the days of the regime are numbered. We are very confident that this will inspire our president and of course all the struggling people of our country to fight on until final victory. PUDEMO is committed to a peaceful struggle for the total liberation of our people. Our basic demands are clear-Unban political parties and hold democratic multiparty elections.

The people of Denmark are demonstrating that indeed you cant keep a good man down. While the regime has labeled our President a terrorist and our movement a terrorist organisation, the people of the world see in President Mario a freedom fighter, a peoples leader, a humble servant of the people and in PUDEMO a genuine liberation movement of the people. PUDEMO also thanks the people of Denmark for their participation in the Swaziland Democracy Watch-SWADEWA to put more pressure on the Swazi regime. However, we still await formal notification from the organisations/people concerned.

3.2 Women can’t get the most out of paid employment

ITUC Press Department, 5 March 2010

A new ITUC report http://www.ituc-csi.org/ituc-report-decisions-for-work.html examining how women take decisions on their working life confirms that deep-rooted inequalities in child care and household work are still restricting the opportunities for women to get the most out of paid employment. The report, released by the ITUC on International Women’s Day, 8 March, is entitled "Decisions for Work: An Examination of the Factors Influencing Women’s Decisions for Work" and is based on an internet survey from 43 countries and analysis of legislation in an initial group of seven countries under the ITUC’s “Decisions for Life” project .

The report highlights the fact that the uneven share of household and child-care duties has a deep impact on career possibilities and on working patterns, and confirms that women with children are far more likely to work part-time than their male partners or than women who don’t have children.

A special chapter in the report also demonstrates that countries which ratify and implement ILO Conventions covering equality, protection from discrimination, maternity rights and workers with family responsibilities have significantly better laws to support a decent balance between work and family life.

The data also confirms that the gender wage gap, studied in detail in the two previous ITUC March 8 reports, remains a serious problem. The gap is much higher for women with children, at 32% in the sample of countries studied.

"At a time when the whole world is looking for solutions, it is more important than ever that we ensure women are equally involved in decision-making, and that the rights of half the world's population are included," explained Diana Holland, chair, ITUC Women's Committee.

“Households everywhere are being hit hard by the impact of the global jobs crisis, adding to the burden that social inequality imposes on women,” said ITUC General Secretary Guy Ryder.

The Decisions for Life project will feature on the ITUC website as from 8 March to show how trade unions are working for the empowerment at work and in society of young women in particular (http://www.ituc-csi.org/-decent-work-decent-life-for-women-.html) . The website also features the efforts made by women trade unionists from all over the world since the launch of the Decent Work Decent Life for Women Campaign, including action to get countries to ratify ILO Convention 183 on Maternity Protection as well as to get better national law and practice on pay equity and on balancing family and work commitments.

To see the full report: An Examination of the Factors Influencing Women’s Decisions for Work, visit http://www.ituc-csi.org/ituc-report-decisions-for-work.html

The report is launched in connection to ITUC’s Decent Work, Decent Life for Women Campaign, which focuses this year on decisions of young women workers concerning rights at work, family planning and choice of work to balance work and family life.

The report will be officially launched at the International Trade Union House at an event 8 March, along with a new European Trade Union Confederation report “From Membership to Leadership: Advancing Women in Trade Unions” (http://www.etuc.org/)
And a new report from the Education International “Equal Opportunities: Progress for All”
( http://www.ei-ie.org/en/index.php )

The ITUC represents 176 million workers in 312 affiliated national organisations from 155 countries. http://www.ituc-csi.org http://www.youtube.com/ITUCCSI

3.3 SSN on Women’s Day

Thobile Maso, SSN, 8 March 2010

It has to be cleared on that discrimination based on gender remains a feature of all class societies. In order for the women to open the door for the progress of the society, women must fight because this discrimination is directed mainly at the people of the female gender.

A woman faces discrimination as a woman, as a human being and as a worker. This places women in the most humiliating position possible in the society; they are economically discriminated against and socially placed in the position of subservience as a result of prevailing notion “father right” or “husband right”

Women all over the world are compelled by the conditions of capitalist exploitation and oppression to prostitute themselves in more ways than one.

Sexism is a commonly practice in a capitalist society, in spite of all the noisy about gender equality and equity. Sexism will be taking its step towards disappearing only with ending of capitalist system because under capitalism, no matter how much it is opposed, it keeps resurfacing and that is why it is the part of the struggle.

For women as for all workers, youth and students, the starting point is to open the door for progress of society to fight the anti – social offensive, upholding the common aim of creating a new society, women have to be in the forefront of this struggle, this is the only way they can affirm themselves. In other words, women, by affirming themselves are calling for deep – going revolutionary transformation of the society.

4. Letters

4.1 Letter to the President of the ANC and of the Country

Dear President Zuma

It is the first time since the 1994 South African democratic dispensation I felt to write a letter to the President and I hope therefore against hope that you will be able to receive this letter and also I know for sure, in receiving it, you will act upon the content and the spirit of the letter.

Let me start with this comrade President As South Africans based on our constitutional preamble, which states clearly that we are coming from a country that was in war of itself, it says, “We the people of South Africa Recognise the injustices of our past Honour those who suffered for justice and freedom in our land .....”

This Preamble comrade President is greatly depicting that the majority of our people were dehumanised by institutionalised suppressive and persecutive laws under the apartheid regime, the peoples’ organisations were banned, our leaders were jailed and some of them including you comrade President you were forced to go to exile in neighbouring and far way countries.

This, that as I have related comrade President is happening right in front of our eyes, it is happening here in our neighbouring country, Swaziland, the Swazi people are under extreme oppression and exploitation, something must be done comrade President, we can turn a blind eye or we can pretend as if nothing is happening, we may unaware be complacent of barbaric acts that are daily inflicted upon Swazi people, but what we know comrade president is that, it was the same stance other countries they took during the apartheid era in our country when our movement and their leaders were called terrorists. We all know now what is happening to day in Zimbabwe, something that could have been prevented.

I would kindly love to persuade you comrade President that you and with your government of South Africa, on behalf of South African people to facilitate a dialogue between King Mswati and his tinkhundla on the other side and PUDEMO and other organisations of Swaziland to start to talk about Swaziland democratic dispensation and preparations of genuine multi participatory, free and fair elections.

In anticipation

Thank you very much indeed, comrade President Thobile Maso

4.2 COSATU stands up for SA people

Mark Labuschagne, Cape Town, 5 March 2010

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Cosatu leadership for finally standing up for the rights of the South African people.

I have felt that the Alliance should use its voice to speak out against Governments failed policies and the fact that Mr Zwenlinzima Vavi was willing to make recent comments that carry the sentiments of many of our people.

I personally hope that this will be the direction for future engagements with the ANC as it is important that they understand that the people of South Africa voted them into power and they should never forget they were called to serve, not their own interests or agenda's, but, rather the very people who put them in the positions they currently hold. Once again, thank you for standing up to this regime and speaking out against the very thing our people fought against.

4.3 IS this not exploitation?

Paul Mills,Grahamstown, 5 March 2010

I am writing to get clarity on an issue. Here is the sequence of events:

I was visiting Johannesburg and ended up in Rosebank for dinner. I am a fan of Indian food and found an Indian Style restaurant called Bombay Blue. My wife and I sat down and ordered a meal, which was served by a very knowledgeable and intelligent young man who was our waiter. The restaurant seemed rather empty, but the food was quite acceptable.

When we were presented with the bill, my wife gave it to me to scrutinise. (I am a stickler for this) In checking the bill there was an item called “service charge.” And directly below this was in item called gratuity. I enquired of the waiter what the service charge was for. He replied that the restaurant charged a service charge which is paid to the waiter. When I then asked why there was a separate gratuity section, he indicated that was for a tip. I was appalled. The restaurant seems to add a service charge for the waiter and then further requests a tip! Upon further investigation I found out that the waiters entire salary is based on the service charge (Which is not mentioned on the menu anywhere). Furthermore any tips which he is given has a percentage deducted from it.

So I read the scenario as follows:

The restaurant employs the waiters on a commission only basis. They seem to call this a salary, So if the restaurant is not busy, the waiters don’t earn The monies paid over by patrons assuming a service charge to be a tip, are in fact paying the waiters salary. The restaurant obviously hopes that patrons won’t scrutinise the bill too carefully or they would pick up these items.

I was under the impression that waiters and service members of the hospitality were not allowed to work on a “Tips” only basis. I was under the impression that there had to be some form of basic salary?

I assumed that tips were a form of gratuity which was offered by a diner as a token for good service.

Is there not a case here of exploitation?

How does this look to international visitors? (I am from the UK but now live here)

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