COSATU Daily Labour News, 13 September 2006
Kgomotso Sikwane
COSATU Daily Labour News, 13 September 2006
CONTENTS
1. SA growth 'not creating jobs'
2. Push needed in Aids fight: Cosatu
4. Cosatu pledges support for Zim unions' protest
5. No split in Cosatu – Madisha
6. Government's policies 'off the mark'
7. Zuma calls for stronger alliance
8. Sasko and FAWU settles on wages
9. Cleaners protest against SABC's lack of support
10. ANC officials for silence on security strike
11. SACP: Aids messages 'a denial'
12. Satawu acknowledges violent mass action shortfalls
14. Clothing sector 'alarmed' at quota deadline
15. Market solutions no remedy for jobs and poverty
16. Thousands of employees may face fraud charges
17. Companies hit back at Mdladlana’s ‘shame list’
18. Soweto standoff to hit the transport
20. Zim union: Government is shaken
21. SA bodies see red over Cubans' detention by US
**********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
1. Fin24, 12 Sept
SA growth 'not creating jobs'
Johannesburg - While South Africa has experienced positive economic growth since the advent of democracy, this has not translated into quality employment or even sufficient job creation, the National Labour and Economic Development Institute (Naledi) says in a document released on Tuesday.
Titled "The State of Cosatu", the document argues that the country's economic growth has benefited capital, while the working class has become "increasingly impoverished and fragmented".
Naledi compiled the document for discussion at the country's biggest trade union federation Cosatu's congress next week.
The precariousness of the current economic growth trajectory due to volatility in markets is made more precarious by the high levels of inequality in South Africa, it adds.
It points out that the government's Ten Year Review warns that unless poverty and inequality are urgently addressed the "negatives will overpower the positives".
Government, it adds, has recognised this problem in the Accelerated and Shared Growth Initiative of South Africa (Asgisa).
But the document says that while there are significant disputes on whether the planned interventions are appropriate, designed carefully and will ultimately lead to poverty eradication in South Africa, there is a growing recognition that government needs to play a significant role in restructuring the economy and in ensuring that redistribution is sustainable and efficient.
There is also growing recognition that market solutions are inadequate to deal with poverty.
2. Sunday Times, 09 Sept
Push needed in Aids fight: Cosatu
The Congress of
SA Trade Unions (Cosatu) will demand an intensification of the government's
national mobilisation plan against HIV/Aids at its coming national congress.
"Cosatu has over and over again expressed concern at the lack of
clear leadership from the President and (Health) Minister, and we shall be
demanding that the government play the leading role that the crisis demands of
them," spokesman Patrick
Craven said in a statement.
This week, more than 80 scientists called for the immediate removal of
Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang.
Craven said that while Cosatu
appreciated that the government had adopted the ambitious 2003 Operational Plan
for Comprehensive HIV and Aids Care, Management and Treatment for
South
Africa programme, a
huge gap remained between the plan on paper and its implementation on the
ground.
However, he agreed with the scientists that over 500,000 people
without access to antiretrovirals (ARVs) had reached the stage of HIV-disease
when they now required these medicines to save their lives.
The
scientists said the public health sector was treating half the 380,000 number of
people it had targeted to offer treatment, Cosatu said.
"There is
a clear need to drastically speed up the roll-out of ARVs, the only proven
treatment to prolong the lives of people living with HIV/Aids, until they are
freely available to all those who need them," said Craven.
Craven
went on to say that Cosatu agreed with the scientists that "good nutrition is
important for all people, including people with HIV, but that garlic, lemons and
potatoes are not alternatives to effective medications to treat a specific viral
infection and its consequences on the human immune system".
"The
South African government exhibition at the recent UN Conference in Toronto,
which featured garlic, lemons and African potatoes, implied that these dietary
elements are alternative treatments for HIV infection, a view for which there is
no scientific evidence," said Craven.
Cosatu said the disease had
affected more than five million South Africans - nearly 20% of the population -
and was causing 1000 new infections and 900 deaths every day.
Sapa
http://www.sundaytimes.co.za/zones/sundaytimesNEW/newsst/newsst1157785563.aspx
3. Madisha to stand for re-election
SABC News, 13 Sept
Willy Madisha,
the president of the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu), has
confirmed that he will be standing for re-election at the forthcoming
congress.
Next week, the union will be electing its new leadership for
the next three years. Madisha says certain unions have asked him to make himself
available for the post.
Meanwhile, Zwelinzima Vavi, Cosatu's general
secretary, says he has signed the nomination form and will accept the outcome of
the election.
http://www.sabcnews.co.za/economy/labour/0,2172,134740,00.html
4. Mail and Guardian, 13 Sept
Cosatu pledges support for Zim unions' protest
The Congress of
South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) pledged its support for the Zimbabwe
Congress of Trade Unions' (ZCTU) planned mass protests in that country on
Wednesday.
Cosatu spokesperson Patrick Craven said the ZCTU
wanted to "show government and employers that workers have gone this far with
their suffering and cannot go any further".
According to the ZCTU, 80% of
Zimbabweans live in poverty because they receive meagre salaries.
Craven
said Cosatu supported the ZCTU's demands which include the reduction of income
tax to a 30% minimum.
The federation also demands that workers earning
below the poverty datum line not be taxed, the prices of basic commodities to be
stabilised, and free access to antiretroviral drugs.
Workers at previous
ZCTU protests were arrested and assaulted, the ZCTU said. It hoped that
demonstrations on Wednesday would be peaceful.
"The protests will start
at 12pm and end at 2pm
tomorrow [Wednesday]," said
Craven. - Sapa
http://www.mg.co.za/articlepage.aspx?area=/breaking_news/breaking_news__business/&articleid=283890
5. IOL, 12 Sept
No split in Cosatu – Madisha
The Congress of
SA Trade Unions president Willie Madisha on Tuesday reiterated his stance that
there was no dispute over who would succeed President Thabo Mbeki in
2009.
"There are no in-fights at Cosatu House because of this matter," he
told the second national congress of the SA Transport and Allied Workers Union
(Satawu).
He blamed the rumoured dispute between himself and Cosatu's
general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi on the "malfunctioning" of the tripartite
alliance.
He said the alliance in recent years had not worked together
properly, except during elections.
"But apart from that we don't work
together. The lack of proper function has tilted the balance (of power) in
favour of capital."
Turning his
attention to the taxi industry Madisha said the exploitation of drivers had to
be stopped.
This would take the pressure off them to earn money for their
employers and end the carnage on South Africa's roads.
He called on the working class to "take control" and
to determine how they travelled. – Sapa
http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=594&art_id=qw1158082742670B241
6. IOL, 12 Sept
Government's policies 'off the mark'
While the
government was trying to create economic growth, policies such as Gear (growth,
employment and redistribution) had resulted in job losses, SA Communist Party
deputy secretary Jeremy Cronin said on Tuesday.
"Since Gear one million
jobs have been lost in the formal sector... hundreds of thousands of workers
have become casualised and the wage gap has grown," he told the SA Transport and
Allied Workers Union's second national congress in
Johannesburg.
He said a number of African National Congress delegates at
the party's recent national general council had called for a policy shift to the
left of the political spectrum.
Cronin said the HIV and Aids messages
which the government was sending were of denial.
"Four hundred
thousand South Africans are dying every year of aids related illnesses. This
makes the war in Iraq look
like a birthday party. There's a need for a major shift in policy."
While
the SACP contesting the elections in 2009 on its own still had to be discussed,
Cronin said the tripartite alliance would remain intact.
"We are not
going to break the strategic alliance with the ANC and Cosatu (Congress of SA
Trade Unions)."
Cronin said part of the reason for the recent protracted
security guard strike was that there were "a few leading ANC figures" who were
bosses in the security company. – Sapa
http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=594&art_id=qw1158064381890B241
7. IO, 12 Sept
Zuma calls for stronger alliance
ANC deputy
president Jacob Zuma on Tuesday called for the strengthening of the tripartite
alliance to ensure that workers' interests were at the forefront.
"If are
we are serious about developing the African National Congress and parliamentary
oversight then a lot more energy and focus has to go into the tripartite
alliance," he told the SA Transport and Allied Workers Union's (Satawu) second
national congress in Johannesburg.
Welcomed to the podium to the tune of
his trademark song, Zuma said no other formation was better placed to address
the interests of the poor.
Zuma praised Satawu for having grown to 133
000 members in the past three years and said it had much to contribute to the
success of the 2010 Soccer World Cup.
He said Satawu
was not afraid to "square up" to employers in the interests of workers'
rights.
Although Satawu had exhibited "strong unity" during the recent
security guard strike, the violence that had marred it was regrettable, Zuma
said. – Sapa
http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=594&art_id=qw1158057901654B241
8. Cape Business News, 12 Sept
Sasko and FAWU settles on wages
AN agreement on annual wage increases has been reached between Sasko Bakeries and the Food & Allied Workers Union (FAWU), ending a nationwide strike that began on August 17, 2006.
As from Friday, 8 September 2006, bakery employees returned to work and Sasko and Duens bread will again be available.
Sasko and FAWU have agreed to a 6,5% to 8% variable wage increase, with the highest percentage increase going to the lowest paid workers.
"We apologise to consumers for the bread shortage during the strike and wish to thank all our customers for their understanding and continued support," says Charl Goosen, General Manager of Sasko Bakeries.
Sasko Bakeries produce and deliver in excess of one million loaves of bread per day. It employs 4 500 staff at its 42 bakeries and depots located across South Africa - including some of the most out-of reach rural areas.
"We welcome the end of the strike and the fact that agreement could be reached in a manner satisfactory to all parties," says Ellphas Dyakopu, FAWU shop steward.
"Notwithstanding the strike action, wage negotiations took place in a spirit of co-operation and with a shared sense of responsibility towards our customers," he says.
http://www.cbn.co.za/index.php?Page=daily&id=1688
9. SABC News, 12 Sept
Cleaners protest against SABC's lack of support
Hundreds of
cleaners from around Gauteng have gathered
outside the SABC in Auckland
Park,
Johannesburg, in
protest against what they say is the corporation's failure to broadcast their
national strike. They're accusing the SABC of ignoring their strike since it
began last month.
The cleaners are demanding a 12% wage increase while
the management is offering 6.5%. "Female cleaners are prone to exploitation, as
the majority of them work for R900 or a R1 000 a month," says Alice Choche, the
Regional organizer of the South African Allied and Commercial Workers
Union.
http://www.sabcnews.co.za/economy/labour/0,2172,134712,00.html
10. Radio 702, 13 Sept
ANC officials for silence on security strike
SACP Deputy
General-Secretary Jeremy Cronin has lashed out at senior ANC members, who he
claims have business interests in the security industry.
Speaking at the
opening, Satawu's national congress in Boksburg, Cronin attacked these officials
for their silence during the security guard strike.
The industrial action
which lasted for three months was marred by violence.
Cronin says there
is a need for greater transparency.
Jacob Zuma was guest speaker at the
opening of the congress.
He says the unrest surrounding the security
strike was unfortunate.
http://www.702.co.za/news/news.asp#51299
11. News24, 12 Sept
SACP: Aids messages 'a denial'
Johannesburg - While the government was trying to create economic growth, policies such as the growth, employment and redistribution (Gear) have resulted in job losses, SA Communist Party (SACP) deputy-secretary Jeremy Cronin said on Tuesday.
"Since Gear one million jobs have been lost in the formal sector... hundreds of thousands of workers have become casuals and the wage gap has grown rapidly," he told the SA Transport and Allied Workers Union's (Satawu) second national congress in Johannesburg.
He said a number of African National Congress (ANC) delegates at the party's recent national general council had called for a policy shift to the left of the political spectrum.
Cronin said the HIV/Aids messages, which the government was sending, were of denial.
Strategic alliance
"Four hundred thousand South Africans are dying every year of aids related illnesses.
"This makes the war in Iraq look like a birthday party. There's a need for a major shift in policy."
While the SACP contesting the elections in 2009 on its own still had to be discussed, Cronin said the tripartite alliance would remain intact.
"We are not going to break the strategic alliance with the ANC and Congress of SA Trade Unions (Cosatu)."
Cronin said part of the reason for the recent protracted security guard strike was that there were "a few leading ANC figures" who were bosses in the security company.
http://www.news24.com/News24/South_Africa/Politics/0,,2-7-12_1997400,00.html
12. SABC News, 12 Sept
Satawu acknowledges violent mass action shortfalls
The South
African Transport and Allied Workers Union (Satawu) has acknowledged their
problem of violence during their strike actions. Randall Howard, the union's
secretary general, says they need to do away with such incidents in their
demonstrations.
Howard, speaking at Satawu's congress at Boksburg in
Ekurhuleni, says many other challenges still confront the union. Satawu led the
recent security guard strike that was marred by violence and intimidation.
Satawu began in 2000 as mainly a transport industry union. Over the
years it has taken in security guards and cleaners as well. In the past three
years, the Cosatu affiliated union has increased its membership to more than 130
000 members nation-wide.
Jacob Zuma, the ANC deputy president, who was
received with song and applause, congratulated Satawu on its rapid growth. He
urged union members to intensify the recruitment drive. But Zuma also condemned
the union for the violence that erupted during the recent security guard
strike.
The union is known to cater for the most vulnerable workers. For
this reason Willy Madisha the Cosatu president, said Satawu was confronted by
unique challenges.
The SACP called upon Satawu to take a firm stand
against capitalism which the party called the root cause of the country's
socio-economic problems.
The positions of president and deputy president
of the union are being contested. The congress ends on Friday.
http://www.sabcnews.com/economy/labour/0,2172,134725,00.html
13. SABC News, 12 Sept
Teachers face HIV/ Aids epidemic
An estimated 40
000 teachers in South
Africa are HIV positive
- an education workshop on HIV/Aids heard today.
Thirteen countries are
gathered with one goal in mind - to try and find workable solutions to the
classroom problem which has now become HIV/Aids.
There are very few facts
available about what African countries are doing to replace dying teachers and
cope effectively with the spread of the disease in the classroom. The number of
Aids orphans in South
Africa is also hitting
the one million mark.
Hamidou Boukary, a doctor with the Association for
the Development of Education in Africa, says: “If we don’t
respond quickly we'll face a situation whereby the schools are going to close
because there are no teachers.”
Peter Babcock-Walters, from the
University of KZN, says: “The figure is high, it is alarmingly high - at this
point we don’t see an end in sight and while the impact of the disease appears
to be leveling somewhat, it is still climbing.”
Recently the teacher’s
union Sadtu, revealed that more than 12% of
South
Africa's educators are
HIV positive. The union says it will now have to intensify aids education in
schools.
http://www.sabcnews.co.za/south_africa/education/0,2172,134736,00.html
14. Cape Argus, 12 Sept
Clothing sector 'alarmed' at quota deadline
By Dianne
Hawker
It will be "virtually impossible" for local clothing manufactures
to meet the Christmas season demand if the government's clothing and textile
quota system kicks in on the proposed date of September 28.
Clothing
manufacturers, retailers and business people have expressed alarm at the looming
deadline, saying manufacturers would be tight-pressed for time and resources to
meet the expected Christmas clothing demand.
The director of the Cape
Regional Chamber of Commerce, Albert Schuitmaker, said the deadline posed
problems for clothing retailers and manufacturers.
"We are aware of the
fact that orders for goods to be imported to
South
Africa for the
Christmas season have been placed a long time ago," he said.
"Retailers will
now have to cancel these orders, which will result in large losses.
"They will have to find alternative stock to fill shelves at this fairly
short notice."
Schuitmaker said manufacturers had received just as short
a notice to fill the gap with fewer Chinese imports.
"They would probably
have to quadruple their production rate. This will be virtually impossible," he
said.
Manufacturers shared Schuitmaker's sentiments, saying textile
companies would simply not be able to bridge the gap left by Chinese
imports.
Retailers were shocked by the Department of Trade and Industry's
announcement of import restrictions, published recently in the Government
Gazette.
Restrictions will be imposed on 31 categories of textiles and
clothing, encompassing 200 items imported from
China. The
restrictions apply from September 28 to the end of 2008.
They also cover
fabrics used by a number of local manufacturers.
This weekend,
Deputy-President Phumzile Mlambo-Nqcuka lashed out at retailers who threatened
to import textiles from other Asian countries.
Mlambo-Nqcuka told the
national Economic Development and Labour Council (Nedlac) that substituting
Chinese goods for those from other countries amounted to "treason". Last week,
major retail organisations Pepkor, Woolworths, Mr Price, Foschini, Edcon,
Queenspark and Truworths released a statement with the Clothing Trade Council of
SA (Clotrade), highlighting the concerns of role-players in the clothing
sector.
The statement read that while the parties had differences of
opinion on "the principle of quotas", Clotrade and the retailers "jointly and
unreservedly rejected this quota plan".
Clotrade president Hassiem
Randeree said on Monday that manufacturers welcomed the government's attempt to
boost the industry, but the restriction and time frame needed to be reconsidered
in order to avoid "chaos".
Clotrade and retailers have called for an
impact study to be conducted by independent experts, "jointly agreed by the
parties, with accurate data and comprehensive input by
business".
Department of Trade and Industry spokesperson Bongani Lekhele
said: "The comments of all parties have been taken on board and will be placed
before Minister of Trade and Industry Mandisi Mpahlwa for his early
assessment."
http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=594&art_id=vn20060912112043663C180442
15. IOL, 12 Sept
Thousands of employees may face fraud charges
More than 3 000
Eastern
Cape government employees could
face criminal charges and disciplinary action for social grant fraud, Dispatch
Online reported on Tuesday.
The social security department in the
province said on Monday about R38-million had to be recovered from different
government departments because of fraud by employees.
"R18-million rand
has to be recovered from the education department's 1 500 implicated employees.
A further R11-million from 1 152 health department employees," said the
department's social security director, Bandile Maqethuka.
"Each
department has been notified to take disciplinary action against these
employees. We are also recovering money owed to us with 15 percent
interest."
Maqethuka said
his department met the Special Investigation Unit (SIU) a month ago for the unit
to take over the recovery and criminal process.
Disciplinary actions were
being conducted by the departments.
"We have recovered about R500 000
since April this year, but we are still trying to speed up the process. The SIU
has instituted criminal charges and handed over some of the cases to the
police," Maqethuka said.
The SIU said only 3 000 people had agreed to
repay some of what they owed and a small group undertook to repay small amounts
over long periods despite earning substantial salaries.
SIU deemed this
unacceptable and had already identified a list of cases where it intended to
take legal action to ensure that proper repayments were made. – Sapa
http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=594&art_id=qw1158051061266B265
16. Business Report, 13 Sept
Market solutions no remedy for jobs and poverty
Johannesburg - While
South
Africa has experienced
positive economic growth since the advent of democracy, this has not translated
into quality employment or even sufficient job creation, a report published by
the National Labour and Economic Development Institute (Naledi) says.
The
report, titled The State of Cosatu, was compiled for the country's biggest trade
union federation for discussion at its congress next week. It argues that the
country's economic growth has benefited capital, while the working class has
become "increasingly impoverished and fragmented".
The precariousness of
the current economic growth trajectory due to volatility in markets is made more
precarious by the high levels of inequality in
South
Africa, the report
states.
The report points to a warning in the South African government's
Ten Year Review, which states that unless poverty and inequality are urgently
addressed the "negatives will overpower the positives". Government has
recognised this problem in the Accelerated and Shared Growth Initiative of South
Africa (Asgisa), it adds.
But the document says that while there are significant disputes on whether the planned interventions are appropriate, designed carefully and will ultimately lead to poverty eradication in South Africa, there is a growing recognition that government needs to play a significant role in restructuring the economy and in ensuring that redistribution is sustainable and efficient. There is also growing recognition that market solutions are inadequate to deal with poverty. - I-Net Bridge
http://www.busrep.co.za/index.php?fArticleId=3436646
17. Business Day, 13 Sept
Companies hit back at Mdladlana’s ‘shame list’
Amy
Musgrave
LABOUR Minister Membathisi Mdladlana’s dramatic decision to name and shame companies he said were not conforming with employment equity legislation backfired on him yesterday, threatening a major political embarrassment for government.
Several large companies named by the department as having failed to submit equity reports for last year were able yesterday to produce proof not only that they had in fact made such submissions, but had even been thanked and congratulated by senior department officials for their progress on equity.
Yesterday JSE-listed companies African Bank, Ceramic Industries, Netcare, Tongaat-Hulett, Ellerine Holdings and Gold Fields took issue with the department and produced proof that the department had in fact acknowledged receipt of their reports.
Red-faced officials yesterday could not explain how companies that had complied with the legislation ended up on the labour department’s list of “shame”.
On Monday, after the release of the Employment Equity Commission’s sixth annual report in Pretoria, reporters were e-mailed the names of more than 1000 companies, including 13 listed on the JSE, accused of not submitting reports to the department for 2005 as required by law.
Mdladlana told reporters the department had decided to name the employers in an effort to make them start complying with the law.
Some of the listed companies that were also named in the report are African Oxygen, All Joy Foods, Crookes Brothers, ERP.Com Holdings, Lonmin, The House of Busby and WG Wearne. These firms have not yet taken issue with the department’s list.
Ceramic Industries CEO Nick Booth said: “This is wholly inaccurate since the report was submitted timeously and Ceramic is in possession of a letter from the DOL (department) clearly stating their appreciation of our efforts at transformation.”
Gold Fields spokesman Andrew Donaldson said: “Gold Fields has completed all regulatory filings required by the department of labour and takes pride in its full and ongoing compliance with the department’s requirements.
“Gold Fields has letters from the department of labour confirming receipt of all of its employment equity reports.”
Tongaat-Hulett CEO Peter Staude said his company was “embarrassed and taken aback”.
“We have made significant progress in transforming Tongaat-Hulett, with 48,9% of management and 81% of skilled and supervisory staff being black. In the latest Financial Mail Top Empowerment Companies Survey, Tongaat-Hulett is ranked sixth overall for employment equity out of SA’s top 200 JSE-listed companies.”
Carolyn Blunden, human resources director at Netcare, said she was concerned by the reports.
“Netcare submitted its EE report in October 2005. Netcare is proud that we exceeded our employment equity targets and implemented many noteworthy transformation initiatives. Our submission last year was further expanded by a meeting with the department of labour to review the submission,” she said.
African Bank faxed Business Day an acknowledgement of its submission document from the department, the report with an official stamp from the department, and a letter from its human resources department to the director-general of labour.
http://www.businessday.co.za/articles/topstories.aspx?ID=BD4A270606
18. Sowetan, 13 Sept
Soweto standoff to hit the transport
Vusi
Ndlovu
Soweto taxi drivers want to go on strike today because metro
busses are operating in the township again.
But the Johannesburg
Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) has told them to watch out.
JMPD
spokesman Inspector Edna Mamonyane says: “We would like to warn them that metro
police and the South African Police Service will be out in full force to ensure
that they don’t cause havoc.”
Taxi drivers from different taxi
organisations are expected to take to the streets.
Mamonyane said: “We
heard that they say there will be no metro buses in
Soweto. But we would
like to assure metro bus users that they should not worry. We will be there to
protect them and our property.”
Top Six management, a major national
taxi body, confirmed yesterday that their drivers would embark on a protest
today. He said taxi owners did not endorse the strike.
“This thing is
being coordinated by our drivers. They said they would be striking because of
the metro bus duplication in our routes.
“We do not endorse the strike
but we can’t stop them as they are free to strike. We will observe the situation
to ensure it does not go out of hand,” said Top six president Sicelo Mabaso.
Metro bus spokesman Charles Hlebela said it would be business as usual
today.
http://www.sowetan.co.za/szones/sowetanNEW/news/news1158120820.asp
19. SABC News, 13 Sept
Jo'burg taxi drivers go on strike
Scores of
Johannesburg commuters
may be stranded today as taxi drivers from six associations embark on strike
action.
They are protesting against being stopped by Metro police and
metropolitan buses during peak hours along their routes.
Themba
Hlongwane, a spokesperson for the Witwatersrand Taxi Association, says the
strike will mostly affect Soweto and
Orange farm residents.
Hlongwane has accused Metro police of harassment.
http://www.sabcnews.co.za/economy/labour/0,2172,134744,00.html
20. Mail and Guardian, 13 Sept
Zim union: Government is shaken
A senior
Zimbabwe
labour official dismissed on Tuesday government threats to crush street marches
planned for Wednesday by the main trade union, saying the authorities were
panicking.
President Robert Mugabe's government has been shaken by the
Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) plans to hold the processions, judging
by the prominence the proposed action has been given in state media, said ZCTU
secretary general Wellington Chibebe.
"They are very much shaken. It's
not often that we get headline news [in state media]," he told said on Tuesday.
"They have reacted in a panicked manner."
The security and labour
ministers, as well as police, have all warned the ZCTU not to go ahead with the
marches in statements carried on the front pages of the main government-run
newspapers.
The marches -- which have already been declared illegal by
the police -- will protest low wages, a fast-deteriorating economic situation
and lack of access to anti-retroviral drugs for those living with HIV, among
other issues.
Labour Minister Nicholas Goche was quoted as saying in
Tuesday's Herald newspaper that the marches were not
justifiable.
He said it was not workers alone who were suffering from the
lack of antiretrovirals (ARVs) in Zimbabwe,
claiming it was a national problem.
The minister also accused the union,
an ally of the main opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), of having a
hidden political agenda.
But Chibebe alleged that the government, which
is the biggest employer in Zimbabwe,
was one of the worst violators of workers rights.
The union boss said
that the government was still paying some of its workers a monthly wage of
Z$9 000 ($36).
"They are not paying. They should not fool the
world," he said.
"And they said the scarcity of ARVs was very much a
labour issue," Chibebe said.
Workers who contribute 3% of their salaries
to a government Aids levy were seeing no benefit in the form of free ARV
treatment, the ZCTU boss noted.
Only 33 000 people living with HIV
are currently receiving life-prolonging ARVs, out of at least 340 000 in
need, according to official figures. Around one in five adults are infected with
HIV.
Police on Tuesday said that the situation across
Zimbabwe was
calm, warning that the long arm of the law would deal with any malcontents,
state radio reported. -- Sapa-dpa
http://www.mg.co.za/articlepage.aspx?area=/breaking_news/breaking_news__africa/&articleid=283899
21. SABC News, 12 Sept
SA bodies see red over Cubans' detention by US
Five prominent
South African organisations have vowed to mobilise their structures to put
pressure on the US to
release five Cubans who were arrested in that country eight years
ago.
The organisations including the ANC, SACP, COSATU, the South Africa
Council of Churches and the Friends of Cuba Society, launched the Free the
Cuban Five campaign. It forms part of an international effort to rescue
these Cubans.
The five Cubans were incarcerated by the
US
government and charged with espionage in 1998, and convicted in 2001. They were
collectively sentenced to four life terms and seventy five years in prison
during the same year, in Miami. They claimed
there were gathering information about Cuban American groups which were using
the US as a base
to plan and launch terror attacks against
Cuba.
US accused of double standards
After a re-trial
ruled in their favour last year, the US attorney
general intervened and ordered a new trial. Last month, the court ruled against
them.
The South African organisations have criticised the
US saying it
was playing double standards on the war against terrorism.
Kgalema
Motlanthe, the ANC secretary general, says: “It is ironic that the American
government deemed fit that it could not even rely on its own laws and
institutions of jusctice in the US and chose
to incarcerate and detain those that it suspects of embarking on acts of terror
on Cuban soil."
Blade Nzimande, the SACP general secretary, says: “We'll
fight these violations wherever they happen, whether in
South
Africa or in
Cuba or
anywhere else in the world, particularly the question of the violation of the
right to a fair trial."
Cosatu said it will take this matter to its
congress to be held next week, where a resolution would be taken on what role
could workers play to ensure the release or a fair trial for the Cuban Five.
Attempts to get the response from the
US embassy
came to no avail.
http://www.sabcnews.co.za/world/south_america/0,2172,134735,00.html