Taking COSATU Today Forward, 21 January 2025
Norman Mampane
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Taking COSATU Today Forward
‘Whoever sides with the revolutionary people in deed as well as in word is a revolutionary in the full sense’-Maoo
Our side of the story
21 January 2025
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Contents
- Workers Parliament: Back to Basics!
- COSATU has a vacancy of a Provincial Educator/Organiser in the Western Cape – Cape Town
- SAMWU condemns Ray Nkonyeni’s Troika for misleading the ANC Caucus about ongoing negotiations
- South Africa
- Death toll in illegal mining disaster shocking, investigation into how this situation could have been better essential – SACP
- International-Workers’ Solidarity!
- SACP welcomes Ceasefire in the Gaza Agreement
Workers’ Parliament-Back2Basics
COSATU
has a vacancy of a Provincial Educator/Organiser in the Western Cape – Cape Town
Khanyisile Fakude, COSATU Administrative Secretary and HR, 20 January 2025
The
Provincial Educator/Organiser implement Provincial Education and Organizing Programmes. Compile education inputs, deliver Education Programmes either discussed in the Province or decided upon head office. Organizing aspects in implementing material campaigns,
organising programmes such as Recruitment, Service Locals and Coordinate Affiliates Organizers/Educators.
Functions include:
• Servicing locals which includes launching and establishing new locals, liaising with the locals on activities and providing advice;
• Conducting and facilitating education for the Affiliates and locals;
• Coordinate campaigns and organizational activities;
• Coordinating subcommittees such as Provincial Educators Forum, Organisers Forum;
• Monitor the implementation of COSATU Programmes in the Province in consultation with the Provincial Secretary;
• Lead campaigns in the Province;
• Assist workers who need advice;
• Do reports and send to the Provincial and Organising Secretary
• Assist the Provincial Secretary where required
• Attend structural meetings relating to Education/Organising;
• Attend and/or facilitate workshops as might be required:
Personal attributes:
• Demonstrate ability to exercise judgement and resolve issues independently;
• Demonstrate ability to forge and maintain productive working relationships, including ability to use influence to support the Federation decisions;
• Well developed communication skills, including the writing of agendas, minutes and correspondence;
• Demonstrate ability to establish and maintain effective and high level organizational coordination skills;
• Demonstrate ability to meet tight deadlines;
Skills required:
• Tertiary qualification
• 5 years’ experience as the Organiser/Educator in unions
• Excellent report writing and editing
• Excellent oral communication and presentation skills
• Proficient in Microsoft Office
• Excellent planning and organizational skills
• Valid driver’s license
• Familiar with SA Labour Laws
All applications should be sent on or before the 24 January 2025 with a detailed CV and contactable references to:
The COSATU General Secretary
Email to: khany...@cosatu.org.za
Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.
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SAMWU condemns Ray Nkonyeni’s Troika for misleading the ANC Caucus about ongoing negotiations
Ntombifuthi Mzotho, SAMWU Regional Secretary, 20 January 2025
The South African Municipal Workers’ Union (SAMWU) is deeply disheartened and outraged by the deliberate lies and misleading reports propagated by the Speaker of Council and the Municipal Manager of Ray Nkonyeni Local Municipality (RNM). Their persistent attempts to deceive Councillors and the community undermine transparency, accountability in governance, and the spirit in which the Union and the Municipality are currently engaged in negotiations.
SAMWU South Coast Region has reliably learned that the Municipal Manager, supported by the Speaker of Council, has presented a fabricated report to the African National Congress (ANC) RNM Caucus. This report falsely claims that SAMWU has accepted an offer of three months’ compensation. Such misinformation is a blatant attempt to divert the Council meeting scheduled for Tuesday, 21 January 2025, from addressing the challenges created by the Municipal Manager’s refusal to implement the arbitration award in favour of SAMWU and its members.
To clarify the facts, SAMWU wishes to place the following on record:
1. Timeline of Engagements: RNM officials met with SAMWU on Friday, 17 January 2025, following a meeting in Durban on 15 January 2025. These meetings were convened to resolve the ongoing dispute between the parties.
2. Initial Offer from RNM: The Municipal Manager, supported by Heads of Departments (HODs) and the TROIKA, proposed three months’ compensation for all SAMWU-affiliated workers, excluding Grade 5 salary adjustments, which are central to the dispute. SAMWU rejected this offer, as it failed to address the key issues outlined in the arbitration award.
3. Disputed Grade 5 Status: At the 15 January meeting, the TROIKA, led by the Speaker and Mayor, disputed RNM’s status as a Grade 5 Municipality. SAMWU countered this by presenting supporting documents, prompting an adjournment to allow the TROIKA time to review the evidence.
4. Evidence of Grade 5 Status: The documents provided by SAMWU, sourced from 2024 council records, included a motivation by the Municipal Manager for salary increases for himself and other employees, based on RNM’s Grade 5 status.
5. Revised Offer and Rejection: At the 17 January 2025 meeting in Port Shepstone, RNM conceded that SAMWU’s position on the Grade 5 status was correct. They revised their offer to include both the implementation of Grade 5 adjustments and three months’ compensation. SAMWU rejected this proposal, maintaining its demand for the full implementation of the arbitration award, including six months’ compensation.
6. Commitment to Resolution: SAMWU recognised the discussions as an effort to reach an out-of-court settlement but made it clear that it would not compromise on the fundamental terms of the arbitration award. The Municipality agreed to revise its proposal and revert to SAMWU, while SAMWU committed to consulting its members on potential flexibility.
7. Misleading the Caucus: Contrary to the claims made by the Municipal Manager, SAMWU has not accepted any offer. These falsehoods are a calculated attempt to sow division within SAMWU’s ranks. Furthermore, SAMWU is aware of the Speaker’s underhanded tactics, including sponsoring dissent among SAMWU members to force acceptance of the Municipality’s inadequate proposal.
It is categorically false and misleading to claim that SAMWU has accepted RNM’s offer. These blatant lies are a calculated attempt to create divisions within SAMWU’s membership, undermining our unity and purpose. We are not surprised by the actions of Speaker Cllr Gumbi, who has been relentlessly working to divide SAMWU by spreading misinformation among our members.
SAMWU is also aware of the Speaker’s deliberate and unethical sponsorship of certain members to push for acceptance of the inadequate offer during the report-back meeting held on Saturday. These divisive tactics are unacceptable and show a clear disregard for the principles of fair negotiation and integrity. Such actions not only destabilise the union but also compromise the collective bargaining process, which is essential for upholding the rights of municipal workers.
We caution the leadership of RNM to immediately cease misleading both the municipality’s structures and the public. These efforts to shield the Municipal Manager from accountability and to defend his repeated failures only further damage the credibility of the TROIKA. It is well-documented that the Municipal Manager has, on numerous occasions, demonstrated his unwillingness to report to or collaborate effectively with the TROIKA, a dereliction of duty that directly impacts service delivery and the lives of workers and residents alike.
SAMWU also recognises the immense pressure on the TROIKA to mislead the Council in order to avoid intervention by the MEC of COGTA. However, resorting to lies and misinformation will not resolve this dispute. SAMWU remains steadfast in its commitment to a transparent and honest resolution process. Only truth, integrity, and adherence to the arbitration award will bring about a just outcome for all parties involved.
We call upon the African National Congress in Ray Nkonyeni Municipality to urgently intervene in this matter. As the ruling party, the ANC has a responsibility to ensure that the municipality operates with integrity, transparency, and in the best interests of both workers and the community. The ongoing delays, dishonesty, and refusal to implement the arbitration award not only infringe on the rights of municipal workers but also hinder the municipality’s ability to deliver quality services to the public.
The ANC must urgently take decisive action to hold the TROIKA and Municipal Manager accountable, ensuring that workers’ rights are protected, and service delivery is prioritised. The lives and livelihoods of municipal workers cannot continue to be collateral damage in a struggle characterised by misinformation and division. We urge the ANC to lead by example, demonstrating the values of justice, fairness, and accountability that the public expects from its leadership.
SAMWU remains committed to working towards a resolution that respects the arbitration award, upholds the rights of municipal workers, and restores dignity to the bargaining process. Any further attempts to mislead the public or disrupt union unity will be met with unwavering resistance.
Issued by SAMWU South Coast Region
Death toll in illegal mining disaster shocking, investigation into how this situation could have been better essential – SACP
Dr Alex Mohubetswane Mashilo, SACP Central Committee Member
National Spokesperson & Political Bureau Secretary for Policy and Research
Monday, 20 January 2025
The death toll of 78 miners and possibly more – including those not yet recovered – in the Stilfontein illegal mining disaster is both shocking and tragic. Since August 2024, approximately 2,000 illegal miners, or victims of recruitment, have been retrieved from various disused mining shafts in Stilfontein, North West Province. The government must launch a thorough investigation into how this situation could have been better managed and what measures can be implemented to prevent similar tragedies in the future.
Illegal mining in South Africa starkly highlights the inherent failures and crises of the capitalist system. The capitalist minerals mining regime, rooted in the ruthless exploitation of labour and natural resources, has left behind a legacy of disused mines and devastated communities. These abandoned sites stand as grim reminders of the greed of mining bosses who prioritised profit over sustainability and social well-being. They extracted wealth while leaving behind environmental degradation and economic despair.
The rise of illegal mining is deeply connected to the broader crises affecting Southern Africa. The capitalist system has failed to create work for all, resulting in widespread unemployment, poverty and inequality. It has also deepened the crisis of social reproduction. Many of the individuals drawn into illegal mining are undocumented migrants, often lacking work permits. Some are coerced by recruiters, while others, driven by desperation, come from countries such as Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique and Zimbabwe.
These miners, often referred to as “zama zamas”, operate in hazardous conditions. They risk their lives while fuelling an illicit economy that primarily benefits criminal networks. Among these networks are white-collar criminals who buy and sell illegally mined minerals for profit. There is also evidence of collusion by certain established mining houses, further entrenching this crisis.
Illegal mining does not occur in isolation. It is accompanied by other crimes, including the illegal trade in minerals, firearms and drugs, as well as human trafficking. Communities affected by illegal mining are often plagued by violence and corruption. While some members benefit financially, others endure heightened crime and insecurity. This division exacerbates social tensions and undermines collective efforts to address the root causes of the crisis: the exploitative capitalist system and its inherent failures.
The SACP has consistently stood with affected communities, advocating for unity, structural economic transformation and the eradication of these injustices. The SACP calls on the government to investigate not only the recent disaster but also the systemic issues that have allowed illegal mining to thrive in different regions across the country.
Addressing this crisis requires confronting the capitalist system and revising failed macroeconomic and sectoral policies. Revolutionary transformation is essential. This includes holding mining corporations accountable for their historical and ongoing exploitation, addressing environmental degradation and enforcing stringent regulations to combat illegal mining.
The SACP reaffirms its commitment to foster the widest possible working-class unity. Communities must be placed at the heart of sustainable development efforts, including the establishment of a thriving small-scale worker-owned co-operative mining sector that operates within a framework of environmental protection. Without addressing the structural causes of inequality and exploitation, the crisis will persist in various forms.
Issued by the South African Communist Party,
Founded in 1921 as the Communist Party of South Africa.
Media, Communications & Information Department | MCID
International-Solidarity
SACP welcomes Ceasefire in the Gaza Agreement
Dr Alex Mohubetswane Mashilo, SACP Central Committee Member
National Spokesperson & Political Bureau Secretary for Policy and Research, 20 January 2025
The South African Communist Party (SACP) welcomes the Ceasefire in the Gaza Agreement and reiterates its solidarity with the Palestinian people for their fundamental right to self-determination and freedom of historical Palestine. The Israeli regime must fully respect the agreement and stop the genocide on Palestinian people and all forms of aggression both in Gaza and across the entire Palestine.
The SACP commends the mediators, Qatar and Egypt, for their great efforts to facilitate the process that culminated in the ceasefire agreement. In the same vein, we express our sincere gratitude to all peace-loving people of the world who have condemned the Israeli genocide on the Palestinian people in no uncertain terms and consistently called for the ceasefire.
South Africa’s efforts to refer the apartheid Israeli settler regime to the International Court of Justice were crucial and we reiterate our support for this decisive action.
Through its genocidal campaign, the Zionist apartheid Israeli settler regime has murdered over 46,565 Palestinians in Gaza since October 2023, in addition to the over 110,000 people it has wounded and massive destruction of infrastructure, including hospitals and other healthcare centres, institutions of learning, water infrastructure, sanitation infrastructure, roads infrastructure, and more. Apartheid, regardless of who has adopted and practices it, remains a crime against humanity, condemned by the United Nations.
Issued by the South African Communist Party
Founded in 1921 as the Communist Party of South Africa.
Media, Communications & Information Department | MCID
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Norman Mampane (Shopsteward Editor)
Congress of South African Trade Unions
110 Jorissen Cnr Simmonds Street, Braamfontein, 2017
P.O.Box 1019, Johannesburg, 2000, South Africa
Tel: +27 11 339-4911 Direct line: 010 219-1348