COSATU Today 20 November 2009 late edition

16 Days of Activism is an International Campaign for the elimination of gender based violence. The campaign runs from 25^th Nov – 10^th December every year.

25^th Nov- On this day in 1960 three political activists, the Mirabel Sisters were brutally assassinated in the Dominican Republic on orders of Dominican ruler Trujillo (1930-1961). The UN General Assembly designated 25^th November as the International day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. 1n 1981 women activists in the globe marked this day as a day to strengthen and reinforcement of the struggle to fight gender based violence. The campaign ends on the 10^th December (International human rights day) which emphasizes that violence against women it’s a violation of human rights.

South Africa - The campaign has been run since 1999. As Trade Unions during this period and beyond we have to collectively say NO to Gender Based Violence. We have a duty to make sure that the ILO Agenda of Decent Work and Decent Life is achieved and placed on the Trade Union Agenda. Violence against women it’s an obstacle to the achievement of equality, development and peace. We have to protect and promote the right of women by having strategies to combats violence.

Domestic violence is a workplace issue, and not an individual problem but a societal problem. Recently we have seen other countries experiencing violence such as Guinea where Rape has been used as a weapon of War. South Africa is faced with a problems of forced marriages, human trafficking, sex favours in exchange of jobs, labour brokering which directly affect women, recent Western Cape xenophobia attacks.

Cosatu’s challenge is to bring our campaigns closer to the workplace through our programmes. During this period, in our workplaces let’s organize forums, pickets and awareness programmes to sensitise our members on the issues of violence, sexual harassment, the importance of having a health system which benefit the poor and on Labour Broking which mostly affects women and sometimes they find themselves being sexually abused during the process of job exchanges. We have to prevent, investigate and punish any act of all forms of gender violence and also condemn any act of violence practiced in the name of customs, religion or culture.

As trade unions by having programmes which prevent any violence against women we will be contributing to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals.

During this time lets all join hands in the fight of this scourge of gender violence. Cosatu has coordinated event through its nine Provincial offices.

COSATU ACTIVITIES:

DATE	TIME	ACTIVITY	VENUE	CONTACT	PROVINCE	STATUS
23-25 November	09h00-16h00	CEC delegates VCT/Wellness (HIV/Aids awareness & prevention)	Cosatu House 2^ndFloor	Theo Steele (011) 339-4911	HEAD OFFICE	Confirmed
25 November	09h00-17h00	Department of Social Development - shelter painting of home for abused women	288 Burgers Park Lane Jubilee Centre Pretoria	Natalia Mothapo (011) 873-2610 Shelters no. (012) 320-2123	GAUTENG	Confirmed
25 November	09h00-15h00	Workshop on NHI and Labour broking	Qwaqwa -venue to be confirmed	Ntsiki Mgudlwa (051) 447 5499	FREE STATE	Confirmed
25 November	09h00-15h00	Candle lighting /Testimonies/Mobile clinic for VCT	Daku Hall Kwazakhele Port Elizabeth	Lindelwa Qxavu 083 669 7574	EASTERN CAPE	Confirmed
26 November	09h00-16h00	Gender Summit-gender based violence/sexual harassment/labour broking	Cosatu/Numsa Boardroom Emalahleni	Fidel Mlambo 082 719 5699	MPUMALANGA	Confirmed
27 November	09h00-12h00	CCMA- User Forum (Women Workers Rights)	Mogale City Local Municipality Banqueting Hall , Krugersdorp	Christine(CCMA) (011)220-5097 Natalia Mothapo (011) 873-2610	GAUTENG	Confirmed
28 November	09h00 – 16h00	Young Women Workers Indaba/Seminar (Decision for life-DFL campaign)	Community House 41 Salt River Road Salt River	Nina Benjamin 084 322 3313 Merle Thomas (021) 448-0045	WESTERN CAPE	Confirmed
29 November	09h00-15h00	Women & Men Indaba	Coastland Convention Centre	Zet Luzipho (031) 304-1620	KZN	Confirmed
30 November	09h00-16h00	Workshop (Sexual Harrassment, Domestic violence & Human trafficking)	Municipal Offices Bunga/A Bloemfontein	Ntsiki Mgudlwa (051) 447 5499	FREE STATE	Confirmed
30 November	10h00-14h00	SHEP- Sexual Harassment Dialogue	JHB City Hall	Nonhlanhla 083 718 8310	GAUTENG	Confirmed
1^st December	10h00-14h00	World Aids Day- Distribution of condoms & pamphlets (Daveyton PnP stakeholders)	Daveyton Mall	Amanda Mkizwana 078 573 2937	GAUTENG	Confirmed
1^st December		Workplace Lunch-time meetings to address HIV and Aids awareness & prevention	All workplaces	Provincial offices	All Provinces	Confirmed
04 December	10h00-16h00	Workers creating abuse free society	Cosatu Provincial Offices – Germiston	Natalia Mothapo (011) 873-2610	GAUTENG	Confirmed
05 December		Awareness campaign (billboards with faces of abused women) SMS fundraising	Vanguard Mall Cape Town	Merle Thomas (021) 448-0045	WESTERN CAPE	Confirmed

Joint Activities – Hosted by Women Ministry & Department of Cooperative & Traditional Affairs

DATE	TIME	ACTIVITY	VENUE	CONTACT PERSON
24 November	10h00	Media Launch	Birchwood Hotel Boksburg	Nonhlanhla Bhengu (012) 336-5754 nonhl...@cogta.gov.za nonhl...@dplg.gov.za
24 November	18h30	Gala Dinner-presentation of 2008 report on gender based violence	Birchwood Hotel	“
25 November	10h00	Summit- report on 10yr study – on the social impact of violence	Birchwood Hotel	“
10 December	10h00	Commemoration and unveiling of tombstones of two children murdered by their own father	Qwaqwa – Free State	Nonhlanhla Bhengu (012) 336-5654

1.2 COSATU North West takes to the streets of Taung

Solly Phetoe COSATU NW Provincial Secretary, 20 November 2009

COSATU with the support of traditional leaders in Taung, will be marching to the municipality against planned closure of Taung Agricultural college, corruption in the Department of Agriculture and illegal mining in the area which is benefiting councillors, some MECs and some senior officials of government.

The march will start from Taung Sport ground to the municipality from 11h30-14h00 on 26 November 2009.

COSATU calls on workers around Taung, member of the communities to support the campaign against corruption.

1.3 Human Rights Commission’s response on racism at Sun City

Solly Phetoe, COSATU NW Provincial Secretary, 20 November 2009

COSATU has condemned the manner in which Human Rights Commission (HRC) has responded on the matter of racism at Sun City.

Racism remains racism and it is criminal. The approach by HRC to the matter affecting our members is rejected by COSATU. Members have been affected by racism in Sun City, led by Falcon Security Company for years. It cannot be correct now for the HRC to investigate only from the side of white management which has been leading racism in Sun City and not getting the side of the African black workers who are really affected.

The HRC has received pure professional lies from Falcon Security Management - that Mr. Burger was not there during the playing of the racist CD. The question is why then was he arrested. The police are not so stupid as to arrest a person who was not at the scene. Mr. Burger was there on 24 October 2009 singing the CD. That’s why he was arrested.

Therefore COSATU rejects the HRC investigation report. HRC must do the investigation by interviewing everybody, including workers who complained about the CD. The HRC must also look back over 2001 – 2009, including what happened after 31 October 2009, the date of COSATU protest action against the same matter of racism.

The Falcon Security Company it is defending took a worker into a room with snakes, alleging that she had stolen money from a room in Sun City. The security company’s white management continues to call workers baboons and ‘kaffirs’. Many incidents of racism have taken place under Burger and his Security Company.

The HRC has been informed about all cases of racism in the province, in particular against farm workers and farm dwellers, and nothing happens; there is no action from the HRC.

When white farmers and white bosses call they are quick to act. When farm workers / farm dwellers are racially attacked, killed, assaulted there is no response from the HRC. Is this because farm workers do not have money? Is it because they are black and poor or what?

People need to be told publicly if the HRC is representing only those who are in power of capital and only whites.

It is painful to workers when every day, every month, farm workers are racial killed and mistaken for pigs, baboon or dogs and the HRC is quiet.

There are many cases that we can present to the public to see, of how African people are treated by white employers who have money. Even at the magistrates court, whites are treated on the basis of what they have in their bank account.

The HRC must stop targeting our leaders. They must do their work as per their mandate from the constitution of South African. They must defend our country and our human rights.

COSATU rejects the view that Mr. Burger, the owner of Falcon Security Company, should not be one of the accused in the matter of the racist CD. Mr. Burger was there and he is part of the white people who led racism in Sun City even before the 24 October 2009 matter.

The 3^rd of December 2009 at the NEDBANK Golf challenge will be our day at the main gate of Sun City - police or no police, permission or no permission. We will be there in full force with our members to fight against racism and exploitation and to demand the scraping of labour brokers.

2. South Africa

2.1 SACP condemns the ANC YL President’s statement on SACP’s Deputy Secretary General

Malesela Maleka, SACP Spokesperson, 20 November 2009

The SACP wishes to condemn in the strongest possible terms the insults that the President of the ANC Youth League hurled at our Deputy General Secretary, Cde Jeremy Cronin. We find it very strange and politically dishonest that whilst on the one hand the ANCYL calls for a debate on the question of nationalization yet, on the other hand, it throws insults on those who are taking up the debate.

As the SACP we shall not sink to this level of political and intellectual dishonesty, but instead we call upon the President of the ANCYL, or anyone for that matter, to engage the issues raised by Cde Cronin in a principled and comradely manner, without resorting to the Mbeki era type of insults against the leaders of our Party.

For the record, we invited the ANCYL to participate at our political school last month, to, amongst others, debate this matter of nationalization, but did not take up the invitation. We wish to further invite the ANCYL to feel free to respond in any of our publications to debate this and other matters, in a principled manner.

2.2 SACP and COSATU in KZN hold bilateral

Themba Mthembu SACP and Zet Luzipo COSATU KZN Provincial Secretary, 20 November 2009

COSATU and SACP in KwaZulu-Natal met for two days on the 18^-19 November 2009 for their historical bilateral meeting to strengthen, advance their relations in the interest of the National Democratic Revolution (NDR) as well.

The Bilateral Meeting was held against backdrop of National Alliance Summit which was concluded in the previous weekend.

The bilateral meeting of the two components preceded by congratulating President Jacob Zuma for being recognized as the best president in Africa. This is a befitting honour to him and in-fact the award would not have be a surprise even if he received it, in honour as the president of the world.

Comrade President Jacob Zuma has clearly distinguished himself as a people’s president, who is quite sensitive and very close to the needs and aspirations of the people. He has been quite active in responding to the challenges faced by our people, in particular the current economic crisis and to public service delivery matters, witnessed by his presidential hotline.

Part of the top deliberations on the agenda included the National Alliance Summit Report, organizational relations, governance matters, briefing on NHI and the use of Private Public Partnership (PPP).

This Joint Bilateral Meeting resolved on the following resolutions which among them include the following:

Building and strengthening our organizational strength and capacity

Deepening our campaign on 16 Days of Activism with a clear working class content.

Preparing for an Alliance Local Government Elections victory which will be preceded by a provincial local government summit

Intensification of the decent work and abolishment of labour brokers

Developing working class and identity through political education

Re-affirming our commitment to fight against corruption, mismanagement of public funds / resources and any other forms of irregularities on public service delivery

To deepen, intensify & advance the SACP’s Red October Campaign

To form coalition for service delivery and to be the anti-corruption voice of the voiceless

To intensify our fight against any forms of privatization, including the use of PPP’s

To declare Curries Fountain Stadium to be a Heritage Site

To further discussions so as to develop a common perspective on the issue of de-unionisation of the army as well as decriminalization / legalization of sex workers ( prostitution )

The meeting declared on the following programme of action:

To organize a Public Sector Summit workshop

To organize Provincial working class economic development summit and

To organize Provincial Local Government Summit and mobilizing for service delivery

To take initiative in leading budgeting processes for the interest of the poor of the poorest

Campaign against agencification of the state through the use of PPP’s or complete privatization. To intensify our campaign and sharpen our understanding of rural development with specific reference to land redistribution and agrarian reform with a specific focus on farm workers / tenants ( dwellers )

Campaign against Labour brokerage and casualization of work

To convene separate education and health summits

To take forward the campaign for the introduction of the NHI which must be state driven

The meeting committed itself to defend its working class leadership against any attacks from agents of our class enemy and counter revolutionary forces.

Mluleki Mntungwa (Communications Officer)

COSATU ICT Unit

1-5 Leyds Cnr Biccard Street

Braamfontein

2007

P.O.Box 1019

Johannesburg

2000

South Africa

Tel: +27 11 339-4911/24

Fax: +27 11 339-5080/6940

E-Mail: mlu...@cosatu.org.za

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COSATU Today 20 November 2009 late edition

Patrick Craven

Contents

1. Workers

1.1 COSATU embarks on the 16th Days of Activism Against Gender- based Violence campaign

Gertrude Mtsweni COSATU’s National Gender Co-ordinator, 20 November 2009