COSATU Today, 11 May 2011
Mluleki Mntungwa
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Our side of the story
Wednesday 11 May 2011
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Contents
1.1 COSATU demands reinstatement of Barplats shop stewards
1.2 POPCRU condemns ill discipline by its members
2.1 SASFU Congratulates Lieutenant General Solly Shoke
2.2 COSATU General Secretary campaigns in Western Cape and Eastern Cape
3.1 Take a Lunch Break to Break Mswati’s Chains
3.2 Swaziland Communist Party meets in Mpumalanga
4.1 Massmart/Wal-mart deal scary
1. Workers
1.1 COSATU demands reinstatement of Barplats shop stewards
Solly Phetoe, COSATU NW provincial Secretary, 11 May 2011
COSATU and NUM met the mine bosses of the Barplats Crocodile River Mine today to follow up on a memo that was signed by the managing director of the mine early this month when workers embarked on a two-day underground strike action.
The management agreed that issues raised by workers on that day are very serious and need to be discussed with the union leadership. It was agreed that the first meeting should have been taken place on Sunday 8 May 2011, which was cancelled by management.
We are now at a stage where the arrogance of the racist management is being seen by all workers. All workers are now suspended pending the investigation. This is contrary to the promise made by the management that no worker will face disciplinary action.
COSATU is calling for the mine to withdraw the suspensions against all workers and the reinstatement of two shop stewards who were dismissed as part of the union bashing. We also demand that the agreement in the memo signed by the managing director be respected by the same mine bosses including the issues of the contract workers to be employed permanently by the mine as promised.
We are calling on the Department of Labour to investigate the matter of rights of the women mine workers who are being treated unfairly during their pregnancy and that the full investigation must be done by inspectors from outside NW.
COSATU is also calling on the mine to respect the rights of the all employees and the rest of the communities in the area of Madibeng.
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1.2 POPCRU condemns ill discipline from its members
Norman Mampane, POPCRU National Spokesperson, 11 May 2011
POPCRU has noted the conduct by some dismissed members of POPCRU from KwaZulu-Natal in particular on attempts to storm the organizational offices on grounds that they are appealing their dismissals.
They came on a disguise of presenting a Memo and that never occurred until an Interim Court Order was secured in the South Gauteng High Court to vacate the premises.
They are interdicted from entering the premises, preventing the entry and aggress of any person and also from assaulting, intimidating, harassing or otherwise of Office Bearers or Employees.
The members were dismissed in terms of Chapter 18 Section 24 and Sub-section 24.15 for “Unprofessional conduct which includes breaches and/or violation of POPCRU’s Constitution and Code of Conduct.
These members have willfully circulated false reports derogatory to the standing of their fellow members. And Section 24, Sub-section 24.5 provides that “Any offense of serious nature and not covered by the provisions of the Constitution shall be deemed to be subject to the institution of a disciplinary process.
In an event a person is found guilty of unprofessional or unethical conduct such a person[s] shall have the right to appeal to the National Disciplinary Committee whose decision shall be final. And such was handled in terms of Section 24, Sub-section 24.14
POPCRU calls its membership to remain calm as we approach the 07th National Congress on the 13-16th June 2011 at Free State and allow the processes to unfold as planned.
Ill-discipline is an enemy of the struggle to consolidate the working class hegemony and influence at all sites of struggle.
2. South Africa
2.1 SASFU Congratulates Lieutenant General Solly Shoke
Bhekinkosi Mvovo, SASFU President, 11 May 2011
The President of South Africa has at last appointed Lieutenant General Shoke as the new Chief of the SANDF (CSANDF) after a long time of speculations and attempts by some Generals and Admirals to impress the minister of Defence and Military Veterans so that they could be chosen for the top job.
This appointment has disorganised the project by the White former SADF Admirals who want to position themselves in the helm of the SANDF. This project was relying on the incumbent Chief of the SA Navy being appointed as the CSANDF so that they could initially succeed him before taking over the position of the CSANDF.
We hope that General Shoke will act differently now than he did when he was the Chief of the army and prioritise the transformation of the SANDF. His credentials as the former commander in Umkhonto Wesizwe (MK) has surely influenced his appointment above very capable Generals whose origins are in the former Transkei Defence Force (TDF) and we hope that the spirit of OR Tambo will be invoked in him this time around. Oliver Tambo is restless in his grave still awaiting the formation of the peoples Defence Force with men and women in military uniform who identify and are part of the socio economic struggles of the working class.
We call upon General Shoke to make sure that the members of the SANDF who marched to the union buildings for the better conditions which are enjoyed today, are reinstated to their posts.
We call upon the General to clean his top staff, Generals and Admirals and make sure that they are not involved in personal businesses in order to prioritise the work of defending the nation.
The general must investigate the reasons why many senior ranking Generals and Admirals are sitting at home not going to work but being paid huge salaries every month.
We call the general to release the results of the Board of Inquiry on the death of soldiers in the Lohatla incident.
We call the general to institute a Board of inquiry on the death of Petty Officer Maleka recently in SA Naval College whilst under training as an officer. We have information that her medical condition did not allow her to do the course and she did not go through proper selection but abuse of power led to her death.
We therefore take this time to congratulate General Shoke in his appointment and we urge him to spend time in grooming a new man for the future leadership. We encourage him with these words on leadership by Che Guevara, “ leadership is a sacred duty granted to an individual, chosen by the people on the basis of trust. It is an obligation to honour that trust, if necessary with one’s life”.
Good luck General.
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2.2 COSATU General Secretary campaigns in Western Cape and Eastern Cape
Cape Town
Date | Time | Event | Contact person | Venue |
Wednesday 11/05/2011 | 6h30-9h30 | Cape Town traffic blitz | Archie Hearn 076 896 7288 | M5 Concert Boulevard, Cnr Prince George Drive, Cape Town |
Wednesday 11/05/2011 | 12h30-134h00 | Shoprite-Checkers Shop Stewards Council meeting | Collin Thyalidkazi 082 336 5760 | 3rd Floor,74 Short Market street, Cape Town |
Wednesday 11/05/2011 | 14h30-15h00 | SAMWU South Peninsula General Meeting | Mario Jacobs 084 841 0870 | Muizenberg Civic Centre |
Wednesday 11/05/2011 | 15h30-17h00 | Door-to-door campaigning | Fred Peterson 083 561 1356 | Steenberg |
Thursday 12/05/2011 | 6h30-7h30 | Pamphlet blitz | Luthando Ncgonisa 082 048 6533 | Cape Town Station |
Thursday 12/05/2011 | 9h00-10h00 | Door-to-door campaigning | Monde 073 900 3887 | Khayetlitsha Mew Way |
Thursday 12/05/2011 | 12h00-13h00 | NEHAWU Public Health Institutions and Provincial Nurses’ Day | Shaun Wildschutt 082 558 5972 | Tygerberg Hospital |
Thursday 12/05/2011 | 13h30-14h00 | SAMWU meeting | Mario Jacobs | Scottsdene Youth Centre, Oosternberg |
Thursday 12/05/2011 | 15h00-15h00 | DENOSA International Nurses’ Day Commemoration | Bongani Losi 082 775 7739 | Allandale Prison |
Eastern Cape
Friday 13/05/2011 | 10h00 | Port Elizabeth Siyanqoba Rally |
| Mandla Rayi 86 66 05153 | Dan Qege Stadium, Zwide, Port Elizabeth |
Saturday 14/05/2011 | 10h00 | Port Elizabeth | Conduct door to door and walk –about. | Mandla Rayi 86 66 05153 | Motherwell and Kwazakhele and other areas |
Sunday 15/05/2011 | 10h00 | East London Siyanqoba Rally |
| Mandla Rayi 86 66 05153 | East London City Hall |
Monday 16/05/2011 | 10h00 | Uitenhage | Conduct door to door and walk –about. | Mandla Rayi 86 66 05153 | KwaLanga and KwaNobuhle |
Tuesday 17/05/2011 | 10h00 | Port Elizabeth | Conduct door to door and walk –about. | Mandla Rayi 86 66 05153 | Motherwell and Kwazakhele and other areas |
Tuesday 17/05/2011 | 18h00 | Port Elizabeth | Address students at Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University on Local Government Elections and political, socio economic issues.
| Mandla Rayi 86 66 05153 | NMMU Port Elizabeth Campus |
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3. International
3.1 Take a Lunch Break to Break Mswati’s Chains
Ntokozo Mbhele, SDC, 11 May 2011
Last month, the Swaziland government got the fright of its life! Following months of mass mobilisation and action, particularly the Global Week of Action in September 2010 and many other events, 2011 April 12 saw thousands of democracy protesters mobilised by Trade Unions, Civil Society, Youth and Faith Based Organisations took to the streets to demand a democratic Swaziland.
The regime responded by staging the largest security clampdown for decades. Armed gangs of security personnel broke up marches, harassed and brutalised innocent protesters, and detained those it deemed dangerous. Many were attacked and arrested. Reports of the attacks went all over the world, fatally exposing the criminal nature of the ruling elite.
Despite the repression, activists in Swaziland have continued to campaign for regime change, and for the basic civil and human rights. The regime has a formidable arsenal of weapons and crowd control devices, and an army of cringing sycophants to do its violent bidding, but it also has a distorted legal system that has been developed over the last 37 years of despotic rule. The Swazi legal system is designed to criminalise all those who dare to stand for democracy.
At present Maxwell Dlamini and Musa Ngubeni are being held in detention. They were arrested at the time of the April protests. Both are courageous young activists who have publicly aligned themselves with the democracy movement. Both have been denied bail, and access to their families and from even taking their exams, despite the fact that the evidence against them is flimsy, and has still to be presented in court.
These two young comrades are being detained as punishment for daring to call for a democratic Swaziland. They join many others, including Bheki and Zonke Dlamini who have been detained and charged with trumped up charges under the notorious Suppression of Terrorism Act. This ‘legislation’ has been condemned by every significant human rights organisation throughout the world as representing a gross violation of universal rights.
We want to make sure that Maxwell and Musa, and all the others wrongfully detained are not forgotten. We want to make sure that the world is alerted to their plight, and begins to put pressure on the Mswati regime to release and compensates them for illegal arrest and wrongful imprisonment.
Musa and Maxwell appear in court again on Thursday 12th May for a further bail hearing. That’s why we are mobilising resources for the legal defence of these comrades, and also why we have called for a picket of the Swazi Consular Office in Braamfontein on Thursday 12th to protest at their continuing imprisonment, and to demand the release of all political prisoners in Swaziland.
We urge all democratic and progressive individuals and organisations to ‘Take a Lunch Break to Break the Chains of Mswati’s regime!’ THURSDAY 12th May 12.30 sharp – 2.00pm. Don’t let Mswati get away with murder and crimes against humanity.
Support the Picket!
For more details contact:
Stephen Faulkner (082 817 5455, steve.f...@samwu.org.za)
Ntokozo Mbhele (072 370 0974 nto...@publicservices.co.za)
Philani Ndebele (076 942 3565 phi...@asc.org.za)
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3.2 Swaziland Communist Party meets in Mpumalanga
The Central Committee of the Communist party of Swaziland met in Mpumalanga Province in South Africa over the weekend of 7-8 May for its first session since the founding conference of the Party on 9 April this year.
The CPS reviewed the process of building the party’s structures and the work of its office holders, the current situation in Swaziland and the state of the broad movement for democratic change.
The CC of the CPS welcomes the growing unity within the trade union movement in Swaziland shown by the merging of the two union federations to form the Trade Union Congress of Swaziland. The CC noted that this is the result of persistent efforts to achieve unity within the Swazi labour movement and is an important advance for the working class. This will allow greater coordination among workers and their unions in fighting the efforts of the Mswati regime to slash wages and impose worse working conditions in an effort to stave off its economic collapse. It will also enable the working class to mobilise more effectively on the broad political agenda of democratic change in Swaziland and to increase the militancy of the working class against Mswati and his corrupt and useless government.
The CPS will work hard to help build TUCSWA to achieve the strongest possible base of unity within the organisation.
The CC discussed the state of the pro-democracy movement in Swaziland and the need for a more concerted socialist perspective and agenda within the movement. The CC noted that recent and past protests in Swaziland on labour issues and for democratic change were carries first and foremost by the working class and the poor. It is their representation within the broad movement for democracy – including within PUDEMO – that needs to be strengthened.
The CC discussed the growing efforts internationally to draw attention to the callous and wasteful behaviour of the Mswati court and welcomed calls by the ANCYL on artists to boycott the celebration of Mswati’s birthday. The CC further calls for a comprehensive commercial, cultural and sports boycott of Swaziland. Much of the campaigning work of the CPS will be devoted to raising support for such a boycott, in addition to stepping up the use of border blockades to disrupt the economic lifelines of the Mswati regime.
The CC noted that the increased attention on the behaviour of the Mswati regime internationally needs to be augmented by more information on Swaziland’s political and economic situation. The tendency in some sections of the international press simply to present Mswati as a buffoon masks the hard realities facing our people and the struggle for freedom and democracy in our country.
The CC examined the development of the CPS’s work and discussed how to make it more effective despite the situation of scarce resources. The Party is in the early stages of its development and needs to work simultaneously on a number of fronts to build its capacity while advancing the form and content of the struggle in Swaziland – principally among the working class and the poor – and in cooperation with key structures of the pro-democracy movement. The CC also looked at the efforts of the CPS to develop its international and solidarity work and information work, as well as the organisation and work of the CPS commissions on women, workers, peasants and land workers, and youth.
Members of the CPS based in South Africa will assist the SACP and the Alliance movement as a whole in ensuring a robust ANC victory in the local government elections on 18 May. We view the success of the ANC-led Alliance in furthering the National Democratic Revolution as being crucial not only to progress in South Africa but ultimately to the progressive development of the Southern African region, including Swaziland.
4. Letter
4.1 Massmart/Wal-mart deal scary
James Burnes, Architectural & Design Consultant, 10 May 2011
I was employed by Massmart in the division, Builders Warehouse, Tile Warehouse in 2005 as an architectural consultant.
In Nov 2010 I resigned.
This, I might add was, either resign or we will increase the pressure too.
In the period of a year to my resignation, there were numerous individuals that were "worked out" and in the last few months of this year, it seems to have increased.
I’m not sure if this was at the negotiation authority of Walmart, however I suspect that the Massmart employment numbers are decreasing as we speak. Perhaps it will be better for Walmart to have the numbers reduced prior to the final merger. We all know, the labour reputation of Walmart and how ironic the Massmart strategy seems to be leaning on the same.
In conclusion a lot more jobs are going to be lost now and a lot more when this merger takes place. Not to mention the local suppliers.
I find this deal between these two power-hungry entities rather scary.
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