Taking COSATU Today Forward Special Bulletin, 20 May 2024
Norman Mampane
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COSATU TODAY Dear workers: #May29 is few days to come. Let’s come out with our families to #VoteANC with an overwhelming majority #ElijahBarayiBrigades #VoteANC #ClassStruggle “Build Working Class Unity for Economic Liberation towards Socialism” #Back2Basics #JoinCOSATUNow #ClassConsciousness |
Taking COSATU Today Forward Special Bulletin
‘Whoever sides with the revolutionary people in deed as well as in word is a revolutionary in the full sense’-Maoo
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20 May 2024
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Contents
- Workers Parliament: Back to Basics!
- COSATU celebrates its affiliate SATAWU as it marks its 24th anniversary
- South Africa
- COSATU welcomes Constitution Court judgement on former President Zuma's ineligibility to stand for Parliament
- CC judgment on whether Zuma or other convicted law breakers in the same category can stand for election definitive
- International-Workers’ Solidarity!
- The US to immediately remove Cuba from the list of countries that “allegedly sponsor terrorism”
Workers’ Parliament-Back2Basics
COSATU celebrates its affiliate SATAWU as it marks its 24th anniversary
Matthew Parks, COSATU Acting National Spokesperson & Parliamentary Coordinator, 20 May 2024
The Congress of the South African Trade Unions (COSATU) celebrates the fortitude of its affiliate, the South African Transport and Allied Workers Union (SATAWU) as it marks its 24th anniversary.
It is without a doubt that SATAWU has faced challenges in the past. However, it is set apart by its militant spirit, rising above oppositional forces, all for the emancipation of its members in the transport, cleaning and security sectors, a trait it has consistently carried since its formation in May 2000.
State-Owned Enterprises have experienced many challenges, including at Transnet which has a large number of SATAWU members. Despite these difficulties at SOEs, SATAWU remained as a beacon of hope and a voice against state capture and corruption in the sectors and workplaces it organises.
SATAWU has led the charge to improve the conditions of workers at Transnet and Prasa and across the transport sector, of security, cleaning and other vulnerable workers against some of the most abusive conditions and exploitative employers.
The Federation remains fully behind SATAWU in its unwavering campaigns for government to recapacitate ports, secure rail infrastructure and curb cable theft, including its defence of SOEs and the progressive role of the state and against privatisation.
SATAWU has always exhibited consistent solidarity towards its members, especially in cases where workers burn the brunt of underhanded processes in major entities. More recently we celebrated the reinstatement of 56 workers who were previously dismissed from Public Bonds Project, a company sub-contracted by Eskom at Matimba Power Station in Limpopo last year. This is an example of the many victories of SATAWU. Many more of which are yet to come!
Phambili nge SATAWU, phambili!
Issued by COSATU
COSATU welcomes Constitution Court judgement on former President Zuma's ineligibility to stand for Parliament
Matthew Parks, COSATU Acting National Spokesperson & Parliamentary Coordinator, 20 May 2024
The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) welcomes the Constitutional Court judgement on former President Jacob Zuma’s ineligibility to stand for Parliament.
It was clear to all sober persons that the former President is ineligible to stand for election to Parliament as five years has not passed since the completion of the sentence for his criminal conviction.
The Constitutional prohibition on persons convicted of criminal offences and sentenced to prison for more than 12 months without the option of a fine was deliberately put in place to prevent hardened criminals sitting in Parliament and drafting laws that are meant to protect society from criminals.
We are pleased that this circus has been put to rest and society can now focus on ensuring the May 29th elections take place without any hindrance.
Given the repeated threats by senior leaders of Mr. Zuma’s party, the MK Party, to unleash violence if he was not allowed to contest the elections, it is critical that the South African Police Service with the support of the State Security Agency and the South African National Defence Force be deployed on the ground and immediately arrest and prosecute any persons who seek to instigate violence or undermine the running of the elections.
The court judgement is another welcome signal that South Africa is turning the corner from the days of state capture and corruption when politicians could behave with impunity. The Federation applauds the efforts of the judiciary and law enforcement to hold even the most powerful persons in society accountable when they break the law.
These are confirmation that under the leadership of President Cyril Ramaphosa and the African National Congress the nation is being cleansed and renewed.
Issued by COSATU
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CC
judgment on whether Zuma or other convicted law breakers in the same category can stand for election definitive
Dr
Alex Mohubetswane Mashilo, SACP Central Committee Member National Spokesperson & Political Bureau Secretary for Policy and Research,
20 May 2024
The South African Communist Party (SACP) welcomes the definitive clarity that the Constitutional Court (CC) has given, not only regarding whether former President Jacob Zuma but also other convicted law breakers who fall into the same category are eligible to stand as candidates for election. On Monday, 20 May 2024, the Constitutional Court overturned a court order by the Electoral Court on this matter. The Constitutional Court agreed with the IEC that, at this stage, Zuma is not eligible to stand as a candidate for election.
Zuma and his supporters must accept the rule of democratic law. According to South Africa’s democratically adopted constitution, any person “convicted of an offence and sentenced to more than 12 months imprisonment without the option of a fine, either in the Republic, or outside the Republic if the conduct constituting the offence would have been an offence in the Republic”, is not eligible to stand as a candidate for election. This exclusion applies “until an appeal against the conviction or sentence has been determined, or until the time for an appeal has expired”. The constitution does not end there. It concludes by stating that the exclusion applies until “five years after the sentence has been completed”.
In delivering its order on 9 April 2024, the Electoral Court did not give any reason why it held that Zuma was eligible to stand as a candidate, as opposed to the IEC’s understanding and implementation of the constitution. The Electoral Court said it would give its reasons later. On 10 April 2024, the SACP General Secretary Solly Mapaila called on the Electoral Court to provide its rationale promptly to allow for public scrutiny and the IEC to appeal if there is ground to do so.
Mapaila was delivering the SACP’s message during the 31st annual Chris Hani Commemoration in Ekurhuleni. The call by the SACP was underpinned by the Party’s conclusion that the Electoral Court had probably erred. Indeed, when the Electoral Court provided the rationale for its order on 26 April 2024, two weeks after issuing its now-overturned order, it essentially argued that Zuma’s case and sentence did not fit the criteria for disqualification as stipulated in the constitution.
Issued
by the South African Communist Party,
Founded in 1921 as the Communist Party of South Africa.
Media, Communications & Information Department | MCID
International-Solidarity
The US to immediately remove Cuba from the list of countries that “allegedly sponsor terrorism”
20 May 2024
The World Federation of Trade Unions once again joins its voice with the struggling people of Cuba and its workers and government, in their longstanding and just demand that Cuba be permanently removed from the list of countries that “allegedly sponsor terrorism”.
Even the recent report of the US Secretary of State does not include Cuba among the countries that “do not cooperate with US counter-terrorism efforts”, as it slanderously included it in previous years.
The international class-oriented trade union movement knows that Cuba is not only not a country that is a supporter of terrorism, but is itself a victim of terrorism. For six decades, the heroic Cuban people have been confronted with the criminal blockade imposed by the USA and the constant attempts at foreign intervention in the country.
The inclusion of Cuba in the list of countries “allegedly sponsoring terrorism” is just another attempt by US imperialism to isolate the island politically and economically, in order to intervene in the internal affairs of the country and impoverish its people.
Therefore, the WFTU reaffirms its firm solidarity and support to Cuba and its just demands!
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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