Taking COSATU Today Forward, 8 May 2024
Norman Mampane
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COSATU TODAY #Back2Basics #ElijahBarayiBrigades #VoteANC #ClassStruggle “Build Working Class Unity for Economic Liberation towards Socialism” #Back2Basics #JoinCOSATUNow #ClassConsciousness |
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
8 May 2024
“Build Working Class Unity for Economic Liberation towards Socialism”
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Contents
- Workers Parliament: Back to Basics!
- COSATU Western Cape is shocked by the George building collapse
- Safety Before Profits: SACP Western Cape Statement on the collapse of a building under construction in George
- South Africa
- COSATU is appalled by the latest DA elections stunt (burning the national flag)
- President Cyril Ramaphosa mourns loss of life in George building collapse
- International-Workers’ Solidarity!
- Solidarity statement to the Brazilian public workers’ national strike
Workers’ Parliament-Back2Basics
COSATU Western Cape is shocked by the George building collapse
Malvern De Bruyn, COSATU Western Cape Provincial Secretary, 7 May 2024
The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) has learnt with shock about the collapse of the George multi-story building which claimed the lives of six workers, injured many more and forty-nine workers remain trapped under the rubble.
COSATU send its heartfelt condolences to the families and the colleagues of the deceased and wish the injured workers a speedy recovery. We pray for the safe rescue of those remaining trapped.
We call on the law enforcement agencies and other authorities to thoroughly investigate this matter to ensure that justice be served.
COSATU is appealing to the owners of this company to look after the families of the deceased and injured construction workers.
We will be engaging with the Department of Employment and Labour and the Compensation Fund for Occupational Injuries and Diseases to ensure that relief is provided to these workers and their families as required by law.
The Federation demands that the owners and management of the construction company be held liable for the deaths, injuries and loss of earnings of these workers. The employers must be held liable for any negligence and criminal conduct that has resulted in this horrific tragedy.
Workers sell their labour and not their lives. They should not be treated like glorified slaves by greedy employers.
We reiterate our call that workers unite in order to ensure that employers do not put profits before the health and safety of workers.
Issued by COSATU Western Cape
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Safety Before Profits: SACP Western Cape Statement on the collapse of a building under construction in George
Benson Ngqentsu, SACP Western Cape Statement, 6 May 2024:
The South African Communist Party (SACP) in the Western Cape pledges solidarity with the workers who are reported to have been trapped under the rubble following the collapse of a building under construction in George on Monday, 6 May 2024.
It was imperative for emergency services from different parts of the Western Cape to assist in the rescue mission.
The SACP calls on the Department of Labour and Employment to institute an independent inquiry into the cause of the collapse. The inquiry should focus on whether there was compliance with all applicable construction regulations, among others.
The investigation must be thorough to hold accountable those responsible for the collapse, ensure that construction workers do not experience such an incident ever again and that construction owners put the safety of the workers before all else.
The SACP will monitor with keen interest the progress of the rescue mission and the investigation process.
Issued by the SACP in the Western Cape
COSATU is appalled by the latest DA elections stunt (burning the national flag)
Matthew Parks, COSATU Acting National Spokesperson & Parliamentary Coordinator, 07 May 2024
The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) like millions of other sober South Africans, is appalled by the latest Democratic Alliance (DA) elections stunt mimicking the burning of the national flag.
This is a reminder once again of the DA’s tone-deaf insensitivity towards millions of South Africans who experienced the most horrific forms of abuse during the dark days of apartheid.
The national flag is a symbol of reconciliation. The DA’s desperation to score likes on social media is not only offensive but undermines the nation’s collective efforts to overcome the still painful wounds of the past and the inequalities of today.
We have many difficult challenges that we need to collectively overcome as a society. These require all of us to play our role, be it government, Business, Labour and society as well as political parties across the ideological spectrum. We expect better from the Official Opposition than such ill-considered and juvenile antics.
Given the DA’s recent unhinged attacks on the rights of domestic workers to be paid a minimum wage or its shameful proposals to slash the wages of cleaners in the public service, perhaps it’s time for an intervention in the frat party masquerading as the DA’s elections team by the elder statesmen in the DA.
Issued by COSATU
International-Solidarity
Solidarity statement to the Brazilian public workers’ national strike
30 Apr 2024
The World Trade Union Federation (WFTU), representing over 105 million workers, present in 134 countries on 5 continents of the world, expresses its support and solidarity with the major nationwide strike of the Brazilian federal public servants.
The Brazilian people and workers expect and demand, after the recent electoral success that removed Bolsonaro’s far-right from power and gave victory and governance to Lula da Silva, that there be restoration and strengthening of workers’ rights and respect for the demands and claims of the just workers’ mobilizations.
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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