COSATU Today, 14 July 2011
Mluleki Mntungwa
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Our side of the story
Thursday 14 July 2011
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Contents
1.1 NUM deadlock with racists in the gold mines
1.2 NUM warns of a police state as protesters are shot at
1.3 COSATU and NUM march in Gauteng
1.4 Agnes Nozizwe Massina funeral
1.5 Racial tensions rife in NW farms
1.7 Worker control put into practice
2.1 Tripartite Alliance uncovers unspent millions in Cape Town
2.2 POPCRU joins citizens of the world to celebrate 93rd Birthday of TaTa
2.3 Joint statement by COSAS, COSATU, SASCO, ANC YL, YCL in Gauteng
2.4 Equal Education remain outside Parliament for a second night
3.1 Police in a catch 22 situation over strikes
1. Workers
1.1 NUM deadlock with racists in the gold mines
Lesiba Seshoka, NUM National Spokesperson, 14 July 2011
The NUM has formally deadlocked with the Chamber of Mines representing gold employers Anglogold Ashanti, Harmony Gold and Goldfields.
The dispute will now be referred to the CCMA paving the way for a massive industry-wide strike action affecting both coal and gold producers. The companies stuck to offers of between 5 and 5,5%.
The NUM views all these offers as a resurrection of the dead apartheid racism reflected in wage disparities between white males and the other. We reject the pittance offers by the racist Chamber of Mines with the contempt they deserve and will marshal our forces for a historic national strike action against the arrogant racist employers.
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1.2 NUM warns of a police state as protesters are shot at
Lesiba Seshoka, NUM National Spokesperson, 14 July 2011
The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) condemns the attitude and behaviour of the police in shooting at peaceful protesters at Chemstof mine in Brits this afternoon and calls on the authorities to reign in the criminal elements within the police “force”.
The NUM is bitterly angry at the increasing lawlessness displayed by the police and warns the authorities that our beautiful country is rapidly turning into a police state after it allowed the police management and leadership under General Bheki Cele to militarize the police service.
The NUM is worried by the increasing use of force and the easiness in which the police are used by capital to brutalize and harass peaceful protesters. “This kind of harassment can only harden the attitude of communities towards the police” says Sello Mfikoe, the NUM ‘s regional Organiser in Rustenburg.
The NUM rejects with contempt the arrogance of certain elements of the “force” as displayed during the peaceful protest in Brits and calls on the Independent Complaints Directorate (ICD) to investigate, make public the outcome and take decisive action to protect the integrity of South Africa ‘s democracy.
It is scandalous that in every intimidatory tactic, be on death threats to ordinary citizens and leaders opposed to corruption or poor whistleblowers and protesters, police are increasingly caught in the middle.
The NUM calls on the police management to ensure the arrest and prosecution of all those involved and those involved in the death of its leader in Northwest Pullman Dlamini. Dlamini died in police hands during elections.
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1.3 COSATU and NUM march in Gauteng
COSATU and the National Union of Mineworkers in Gauteng will be marching to highlight the problems of health and safety in the mines, including the impact of the acid mine drainage.
The march will be lead by COSATU Provincial Office Bearers and NUM NOBs.
The details of the march are as follows:
Date : Saturday 16 July 2011
Venue : Workers Library, Newtown.
Time : 10h00
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1.4 Agnes Nozizwe Massina funeral
Patrick Craven, COSATU National Spokesperson, 14 July 2011
COSATU mourns the passing of Agnes Nozizwe Massina on 9 July 2011, and sends its condolences to her family, friends and comrades.
Comrade Agnes was the widow of Leslie Massina, founding General Secretary of the South African Congress of Trade Unions (SACTU). They were married in 1949, and were together until his death in exile in Swaziland in 1976.
Leslie was reburied in South Africa on 22 March 2010, after the arrival of his coffin in South Africa at 509 Masina Street (named in his honour), in Dube, Soweto.
The funeral arrangements are as follows:
19h00 Friday 15 July: Arrival home at 25 Elprado Ou Hout Avenue, Randpark Ridge
09h00 Saturday 16 July: Departure from House
10h00 Saturday 16 July: Service at the Thom Kight undertakers’ chapel, cnr Hull and 16th Streets, Vrededorp, followed by burial at Westpark Cemetery
12h00 Saturday 16 July: Lunch at Northcliff Country Club
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1.5 Racial tensions rife in NW farms
Solly Phetoe, NW Provincial Secretary, 14 July 2011
COSATU has expressed concern over reports of racial attitudes towards farm workers in the North West, in particular in Lichtenburg, Ottosdal, Vryburg, Groot Marico, Zeerust, Brits, Koster, Swartruggens, Tigane and Wolmaransstad.
COSATU condemns severely the white racist farmers who are still refusing to allow workers to join the union of their choice and farmers who are still treating farm workers like animals. The dismissal of farm workers is taking place in a racial manner. They are still being evicted, assaulted and killed by white racist farmers on a daily basis. Jacob Thithi was brutally assaulted by the farmer and dismissed.
Another example is the farmer who took Andries Xabeni, who worked for that racist farmer for more than 20 years, and dumped him in Cape Town in April 2011. The poor farm worker’s body was found decomposed next to a dam in Cape Town, not far from a farm owned by the same farmer.
The farmer took the worker to Cape Town and came back alone with Andries Xabeni’s clothes and said he was lost. How do you think the family responded? The police of the north west must respond to the people of north west.
We also would like to thank the MEC of agriculture for the positive response to the request from COSATU to intervene in assisting the family. The body of Andries Xabeni will be in the north west on Friday 15 July 2011 and the funeral will be on 16 July 2011 at the farm.
We are still calling for the arrest of the farmer. He must be prosecuted and tell the court what did he do to the poor farm worker. Farm workers were dismissed after they voted in the last 2011 local government elections. For how long are the farm workers going to be treated like pigs in this 17th year of democracy which is benefiting the few?
A farm worker, Philip Sekgoro, worked for a farmer called Mr. Viljoen in the district of Vryburg. The worker was injured during working hours when he was kicked by a cow more than twice in 2002 and 2005 he is now told to leave the farm, an unfair dismissal.
At the Skynsdrift farm owned by Mr. Van Wyk in Groot Marico, workers are not registered. They work from seven in the morning to seven in the evening with no overtime. Driver of big trucks are forced to work 24 hours with no rest. Workers were refused time off to vote but the farmer went to vote. There is no protective clothing for the workers.
Workers at Dairy Belle in Bloemhof worked for over five years as casuals, working in bad conditions which include racism, assaults and unfair dismissal. The matter is with the CCMA and workers are not registered.
All these case are reported to the police, and the departments of labour and land affairs but our poor farm workers are not helped by government.
We are calling on all farm workers and all domestic workers to join unions and to report all their unfair dismissals, assaults, evictions and the racial attacks they are faced with to COSATU. Once again we are calling the police of the north west to defend the public and the citizens of South Africa regardless of their colour or capital power.
We are still awaiting for a full detailed report on the list of cases that we submitted to the provincial commissioner and the NPA.
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1.6 Aurora and OMV must pay
Solly Phetoe, NW Provincial Secretary, 14 July 2011
COSATU North West and the NUM met with the Department of Labour’s legal team yesterday to discuss the matter of non-payment of Aurora employees.
COSATU congratulated the Department of Labour and the labour court for the order issued against the Aurora Directors and their company to pay workers their money. The labour court order, issued to Aurora on 29 June 2011, said that the mining company must pay workers what is owed to them, amounting R3 947 645.
COSATU calls on the liquidators to make sure that workers do not lose their money, and calls on the Department of Labour to demand payment of workers before the end of July 2011. If they fail to do so a writ of execution must be ordered by the court.
On the matter of OMV, the company was ordered to pay workers an amount of R2 981 166, 04 plus 15% interest by the labour court in 2008. A writ of execution was also obtained to attach the properties of the company to pay workers what is due to them.
Negotiations have been taking place between Department of Labour and OMV directors. It is now clear that OMV is not prepared to pay workers what is due to them.
COSATU demands that Department of Labour proceed with the writ of execution order of April 2008 and make sure that workers are paid their money - capital of R2 98160,44 plus interest of 15% by the end of July 2011. No negotiation on this matter! We want workers’ money.
We call the department to act with speedy on both Aurora and OMV.
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1.7 Worker control put into practice
Norman Mampane, POPCRU National Spokesperson, 14 July 2011
POPCRU has resumed with the convening of Local Shop Steward Councils [LSC] across all Provinces as part of ensuring that organizational programmes and resolutions are implemented at the coalface of our institutions, such as at Police Stations, Correctional Centres, Traffic Centres and all government offices.
The primary function of these Local Shopsteward Councils will, amongst be utilized to ‘assess the functioning of the local and enhance implementations of decision’ as per the Constitution as amended in 2011.
The Councils will also be utilized to give an account of the 07th National Congress which was hosted at the University of Free State from the 13-16th June 2011.
POPCRU as a Marxist-Leninist understand that Worker Control is a paramount principle, also embraced by COSATU as our Federation and we look forward to complete the programme.
"Trade Unions belong to the toiling classes as represented by progressive Trade Unions and that it is dictatorship of the proletariat in action"!
2. South Africa
2.1 Tripartite Alliance uncovers unspent millions in Cape Town
Tony Ehrenreich, COSATU WC Provincial Secretary, 14 July 2011
The Tripartite Alliance has uncovered R4 Billion rand that the DA did not spend in the 2011 City of Cape Town budget and considers protest for urgent action.
The ANC has uncovered an additional R3 billion rand that was available to the City coffers that the DA could spend in the 2011 financial year. The Council had previously approved a resolution where R7 billion could be raised from the bond markets, of this amount only R4 billion was accessed, due to the Council being cash flush.
This is still money that the City had available as a loan facility and was available to be spent in the 2011 financial year. Added to this amount is the more than R1 billion that the DA did not spend from the 2010 -2011 City Capital Budget. This under spend in the face of the devastating social injury and huge delivery deficits, is entirely unacceptable.
This amounts to R4.3 billion that the City DA did not spend. This money could have provided basic services to all the houses in informal settlements, so water , electricity and sanitation could have been laid on to all informal houses. This money could have been used to provide services to all backyard dwellers so they have their own water, electricity and sanitation. These funds could also have significantly contributed to the provision of houses in the City Of Cape Town.
These funds could have been used to alleviate the transport crisis faced by working Class communities on the Cape Flats. This money could have been used to create 100 000 new jobs in the Environmental economy. This mismanagement of finances has put the economy and service delivery back by many years and has shown people of the City that the DA does not see their desperate needs as urgent.
The DA has now put a blanket on the release of all public budget information to the ANC Chief Whip; this is entirely unacceptable and goes against the principle of transparency that should exist in a public institution. The ANC will be making an application under the disclosure of information act, should the city not provide the budget information requested by 14 July at 12 00 hours. This ban on the release on information is an attempt to hide the mismanagement of the City Finances, but officials in the City are slipping us the information in spite of the ban from the politician. This also points to a crisis in the administration.
We believe there are 3 reasons why the money was not spent. The first is to get a higher credit rating and the second is because of incompetence of the Administration and lack of responsibility of the political leadership, the third reason is that the money is parked so that it can be use to roll out bicycle lanes in all the wealthy areas, and this could not be done before the elections. Whatever the reasons may be, what is clear is that Ian Nielsen has mismanaged the finances of the City and severely prejudiced the interest of the poorer communities of Cape Town who wait in desperate circumstances for the City to deliver. The reasons given by the city for the slow pace of delivery is that they do not have the finances.
Now we see that the finances are there, but the political will is absent. This crisis in the city and mal administration compels us to call for the removal of Ian Nielsen as the Mayco member responsible for finances and his replacement with a fit and proper person to administer the finances.
The situation in the City is a crisis and requires immediate intervention by the Finance Ministry and Salga and we now formally make the call for an intervention. We are concerned about the disregard shown to the people of the City and there desperate needs, and the ANC will be considering a march to the Mayor’s office to reinforce our demands. The COSATU has been equally outraged by this mismanagement and sabotaging of delivery and will call a strike against the City to force urgent action in the interest of working Families.
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2.2 POPCRU joins citizens of the world to celebrate 93rd Birthday of TaTa
Norman Mampane, POPCRU National Spokesperson, 14 July 2011
POPCRU has joined the citizens of the world to mark a celebration of 67 years of selfless sacrifice endured by the former first democratic President of oath Africa, Nelson Mandela on the 18th July 2011.
TaTa and many revolutionaries of our struggle for liberation have always embraced the call by the founder President of POPCRU when he said “I could no longer stand by while an organization of which I was a member acted with such brutality. And “I would like to ask everybody in the police force to come out and stand up for what is right and what they believe in”.
The formation of POPCRU in 1989 was embraced as a necessary step to accelerate the pressure on the apartheid machinery to press for freedom in this country.
And POPCRU will spend a full day at Sithabile Orphanage in Benoni to extend a hand of generosity and an expression of love to the kids, who are in demand of assistance through presentation of groceries, bedding, and other commodities, as part of initiatives of ‘Making Everyday a Mandela Day’ for our brothers and sisters.
POPCRU wishes Madiba many more days of happiness and strength on his retirement.
Happy Birthday Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela!
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2.3 Joint statement by COSAS, COSATU, SASCO, ANC YL, YCL in Gauteng
COSATU Gauteng Provincial Secretary, Dumisani Dakile, 13 July 2011
COSATU, COSAS, SASCO, ANC YL and the YCL held a successful meeting on 9 July 2011 at COSATU Head Office to discuss a number of issues such as the international, national and provincial situation and the state of the organisations.
International
The meeting noted that our organisations are waging a struggle to advance, defend and deepen the National Democratic Revolution within the global environment that is dominated by imperialism. The meeting further noted the 2008 global economic crisis that has engulfed the world and its impact to our country and in particular to the working class and the poor. The meeting raised serious concerns that the second phase of the crisis which is currently unfolding has seen the re-emergence of the neoliberal policy intervention to secure the financial sector, in the face of massive debts run up by governments in the first phase of the crisis. The meeting noted traditional structural adjustment packages of slashing the state, fiscal cutbacks, tight monetary policy, deregulation etc being promoted, in particular in the countries of the North.
The meeting resolved that working class formations should push for a better drive to change the international architecture and global governance to favour the ordinary people as compared to the current policies meant to protect the financial institutions which are causes of this crisis. The meeting supported the massive strikes and actions taken by the working class people in countries such as Britain and Greece.
National Democratic Revolution
The meeting noted progress on the implementation of the National Democratic Revolution in our country and in the Province of Gauteng. The meeting also noted serious challenges facing our people and the National Democratic Revolution in relation to the triple crisis of unemployment, poverty and inequality. The meeting further noted that the main victims of this triple challenges are women and the youth more than anyone else. The meeting also noted the racial impact of these challenges to our people. The meeting further noted that this triple crisis is as a result of decades of apartheid and colonialism of a special type. The meeting resolved:
- That the National Democratic Revolution is still relevant in the current phase of our revolution and also in addressing these triple crises confronting our people.
- To revive and strengthen all the formation of the Mass Democratic Movement in the Province and to push for radical implementation of the National Democratic Revolution.
- That COSATU should take a lead in such a process as it has a revolutionary obligation to the Mass Democratic Movement.
Joint Programme of Action
The meeting resolved that the Mass Democratic Movement in the Province will have a responsibility to defend, advance and deepen the National Democratic Revolution and agreed that the following campaign will form a common platform to tackle some of the problems facing our people:
- Banning of Labour Brokers.
- Jobs and Poverty Campaign.
- Living Wage Campaign.
- Water Crisis.
- People’s Budget.
- Free and Compulsory Education.
- Public Transport that is safe, reliable and affordable.
- Know-your-neighbourhood Campaign targeting child-headed families.
- Oppose the youth wage subsidy.
- Nationalisation of the mines and all other key and strategic sectors of the economy such as Sasol, Arcelor-Mittal and the banks.
The meeting further mandated the leadership to develop a concrete programme of action to take these campaigns forward in the Province. The meeting also mandated the leadership to make an application for a March during August 2011 to kick start the opposition to the current Gauteng Tolling System in the Province and to also demand the banning of the labour brokers and oppose the wage subsidy for the youth.
The meeting also mandated the leadership to convene an urgent economic workshop to deal with the current proposed framework on growth path and also engage on the nationalization of the mines, other key economic sectors and assess ownership of our economy, 17 years in the democratic dispensation.
Current Industrial Action
The meeting noted the current industrial action by Cosatu affiliates Numsa and Ceppwawu in particular. The meeting resolved that all the formations will support the demands tabled by workers as they are legitimate and reasonable. The meeting called upon the bosses of the industries who are earning millions of rands and providing themselves increase above 20% to provide a living wage to the thousands of destitute workers.
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2.4 Equal Education remain outside Parliament for a second night
Yoliswa Dwane, Equal Education, 14 July 2011
Equal Education (EE) has been staging a sleep-in outside Parliament since 12 July 2011.
We had been given permission to remain outside Parliament until July 13th, 2011 at 4pm. This afternoon at 4pm, the police asked us to remove the tents we had erected outside Parliament. We complied. They also instructed us to leave the area outside Parliament. However, we indicated our resolve to remain.
The police have now said that they are allowing us to remain outside Parliament tonight. However, they will be prosecuting EE for contravention of the Regulation of Gatherings Act and are considering taking legal action against the convener of the protest.
Over the last two days we have been engaging in peaceful protest and assembly. This is our Constitutional right. About 100 EE members, mostly learners, have been singing and distributing pamphlets explaining the reasons for the protest. On the evening of July 12th, members of the public joined us in a candlelight vigil outside Parliament. Zackie Achmat, the Chairperson of EE’s Board, and COSATU Western Cape Secretary Tony Ehrenreich addressed the gathering.
We have resolved to remain outside Parliament tonight and continue with our sleep-in. We are doing this to exert pressure on Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga to adopt regulations providing for National Minimum Norms and Standards for School Infrastructure. We are pressing for the adoption of Minimum Norms and Standards as they would provide the first ever legally binding standards for school infrastructure. They will enable communities to hold Government accountable and ensure that school infrastructure standards are met.
Minister Motshekga has previously stated that she needs the approval of the provincial MECs of Education in order to adopt these Norms and Standards as regulations. The law is, however, clear. Section 5A of the South African Schools Act provides that the Minister of Basic Education may make a decision after consulting with the MECs. In terms of this section, the Minister does not need the provincial MECs’ permission or agreement.
Next week, EE will be staging a protest at the Education International Congress, which takes place at the Cape Town International Conventional Centre (CTICC) from July 22nd to July 26th, 2011. We will again raise the demand for Minimum Norms and Standards. President Jacob Zuma will be addressing the Congress.
The decision by the police to allow us to continue to sleep outside Parliament tonight indicates an understanding on the part of the police that our members have the right to peacefully raise the crucial issue of a critical lack of school infrastructure which they face on a daily basis. Equal Education is resolved to continue demonstrating until Minister Motshekga adopts Minimum Norms and Standards for School Infrastructure and passes them into law.
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2.5 COSATU NW PEC meets
The special Provincial Executive Committee met on 12 July 2011 and resolved on the following issues, which are affecting our members and poor communities politically and economically in the province.
Ø The PEC assessed the political situation. including election results, the work done by workers through their affiliates to make sure that the ANC in the province won all the municipalities.
Ø The PEC reaffirmed its position that workers did more to make sure that the ANC won the election under very critical challenges including the list process, which was manipulated by some leaders within the ANC ranks to pursue their political agenda of tenders to their families and friends.
Ø The PEC noted seriously signs of disrespect from some of the ANC mayors, speakers, chief whips and MMC who joined the super-exploiters in exploiting our workers and dismissing some SAMWU members who did not supported them during election or during the list processes.
Ø The PEC condemned councillors or municipalities who are currently undermining SAMWU and leading a union-bashing against SAMWU for their own soft union and weak shop stewards.
The PEC also discussed the challenges faced by most of the communities around issues of service delivery and agreed to include all communities’ service delivery issues in our outstanding six month programme. The PEC resolved that all COSATU locals must lead service delivery marches in the locals that must lead the federation to a provincial service delivery march in October 2011.
All local marches will include the current corruption activities that continue, including campaigns on banning labour brokers, protection of our jobs, demand that all workers who are dismissed politically after the 2011 local government election must be reinstated before the end of August 2011.
The PEC noted seriously the secret discussions that are taking place within the ANC PEC regarding the reshuffling of the Executive Council of the province and resolved that it must be condemned and that the ANC PEC must be worried about the poor performance of the ANC during 2011 local government election.
It must also be worried about implementation of the ANC manifesto, about wards that were handed over to DA, and bout job losses and stop being worried about themselves.
The PEC notes the delay of the NEC ANC task team to investigate councillors who are in their position fraudulently or by default. The delay continues to make communities suspect that nothing will happen to those councilors who have no mandate from communities.
The PEC resolved that a political intervention must be made to the ANC NEC deployees to speed up the task team to visit the province.
CORRUPTION
The PEC reaffirmed its federation’s position to fight against corruption at all levels and resolved that local protests on service delivery must include corrupt officials of the municipalities, and politicians and officials in the provincial government.
The PEC accepted the suspension of the HOD of the Department of Education on corruption charges and that it must be a real suspension with serious action.
The PEC condemned strongly our provincial government, in particular Department of Education, for suspending more than four officials on corruption for over 12 months with no action. Later those corrupt officials are back smiling and resign to join national government or other provinces with fat cheques.
We ask our members who are employed in the public sector to expose such corruption with evidence and that anyone who is implicated must not be defended by our unions.
We also ask the police to protect the whistle-blowers, in particular the poor workers who are faced with intimidation, threats and victimization in the government and the municipalities. The PEC reaffirmed COSATU’s position to defend the national public protector and she must be allowed to do her job openly.
The PEC discussed all challenges faced by COSATU, ANC, SACP and SANCO and resolved to convene a political workshop which must include civil society and must deal with issues of service delivery, including our objectives in line with our 2015 programme. The political workshop must be before the end of July 2011 which must be addressed by the COSATU general secretary.
SUPPORT TO NUMSA, CEPPWAWU, FAWU, NUM STRIKES
The PEC support the strike of all COSATU affiliates - NUMSA, CEPPWAWU, FAWU, NUM - and call on employers to shift from their apartheid approach and respond positive to the demands of all unions that are currently on strike for living wages, which is a COSATU campaign.
MANDELA DAY 18 JULY 2011
The PEC resolved to celebrate Mandela day with poor communities in rural areas with COSATU deployees in all four regions.
Region | Venue | Activity | Deployees |
Bojanala | Lesedi care centre | Cleaning and providing food to the older | Moses Kotane Local Solly Phetoe Sello Ramong Sydwel Dokolwane Keith Bhola Sindiswa Mgemane NUM women structure Sello Selepe |
Dr Kenneth Kaunda | Rethabile Old Age home | Cleaning | Potchefstroom Local Matlosana Local Nomsa Nong Joe Montisetsi Phindile Nqakala Gender Moeder Ngwenya Sindiswa Mgemane |
Dr Ruth Mompati | Choseng primary school | Gardening and painting | Taung Local Motsamai Mckenzi Mxolisi Bomvana Brian Setswambung Alfred Gaetsosiwe Gender |
Dr Modiri Molema | Dihatshwana primary school | Cleaning, painting | Mafikeng Local Pule Motingoa Job Dliso Frank Makokoe Jacob Modomoeng SAMWU gender Desiree Melk |
RACISM / RACIAL DISCRIMINATION
The PEC reaffirmed its position to fight against the racial killing of farm workers/dwellers and condemned the continuation of racism in the farm areas, and at the workplace, in particular big stores such as Game, Makro, Rainbow Chicken Farms, Chubby Chicks, Tiger Brands and in the mining industry. The PEC condemned the white racist farmer who took a farm worker from Lichtenburg in April 2011 and dumped him at Cape Town and he was found dead after three weeks. Until today the body is still not buried.
SKIERLUK COMMUNITY (SWARTRUGGENS)
The PEC resolved to join the MEC of Human Settlements during the handover of RDP houses to the community of Skierluk. The community has been promised houses for the past 8 years. In 2008 they were racially attacked by a racist Johan Nel who is currently serving a lifetime in jail after shooting four people and leaving more than 8 people injured.
COSATU in the province played a central role in defending the community under serious attacks and threats from white racist communities.
The PEC reaffirmed its position that the federation and its affiliates must defend its leaders and its members, and defend all the resolution and decisions that are taken from the constitutional meetings. The recruitment campaign programme must reach all unorganised workers in all the sectors, in particular the farm workers, domestic workers, security workers and that all workers employed by the Expanded Public Works Programme for over two years must be employed permanently.
Our provincial government must lead the programme of creating decent quality permanent jobs and stop exploiting our poor communities who are given jobs to clean the road, cut trees. These workers are not protected, are not safe and are exploited by those who are given tenders.
We are now asking the North West provincial government to start implementing the ruling party’s election manifesto of the 5 priority areas. Workers and communities have been waiting for too long.
3. Comment
3.1 Police in a catch 22 situation over strikes
Norman Mampane, POPCRU National Spokesperson, 14 July 2011
During the current season of Collective Bargaining, it has emerged that the demands of workers are becoming overshadowed by violent protest and crushing of picket lines by the South African Police Services.
NUMSA has eloquently said ‘we will engage our ally POPCRU to sharpen class consciousness amongst its members in order to build a strong trade union movement to confront the hegemony of capital’.
The mere calling of ‘command and control’ in the ears of many South Africans remind them of the apartheid controlled South African Police which was used by he then regime to suppress freedom of expression and association. Perhaps modernization of control and command is a debate that warrants to be taken forward by the intellintsia in our society.
The exponents of ‘command and control are content that it is not an end in itself, but it is a means toward creating value [e.g.; accomplishment of a mission] and further an explanation of command and control is ‘the exercise of authority and direction by a properly designated commander over assigned and attached forces in the accomplishment of a mission’. And sometimes such ‘commands may not result in the success of a mission, thus many people became victims due to improper reading on a situation such as the incident on the killing of Tatane in Ficksburg.
The Public Service strike was characterized by many workers arrested and subjected to court processes which somehow forced the negotiators to factor a condition on non-pressing of disciplinary procedures as part of the settlement agreement.
The provisions of the Labour Relations Act [LRA] Section 64[1] as [amended] confer a universal principle which says ‘every employee has the right to strike and every employer has recourse to lock-out’. And this is necessary power relations valve to sustain sound labour relations milieu in any sector which in our country has been duly respected and restored through our Constitution.However,how all parties have implemented all these imperatives waarants a re-look.It is an emotional-frustrtion-agrression-and anger-filed dynamic situation which come least expected.
What has always sparked fires between parties is the narrow rigidity of the employers to move on their wage offers and arrogance through the employment of scab-labourers to sustain their production and profit making, whilst of the other hand frustration and anger has been a factor amongst employees on the wage demands. The frictional and strategic situation is a dynamic factor which may not be the same every bargaining season. And therefore violent conduct may not be the same in every strike action.
The worst factor is the intentional and unintentional abuse and use by employers to ‘rent the police’ to secure their property and lives. This has been narrowly interpreted as the police to be ‘tools’ used to sustain the hegemony of capital.
On the other hand, police officers are workers whose conditions of service are subjected to a process of collective bargaining in which the possibility of a strike is possible. South Africa, like any other country cannot dim its eyes on this challenge of violent strikes and the other hand we cannot take a dim view on the rising in-equalities. This can be painted well through a Sotho saying which says “wa e gapa o molato, wa e tlogela on molato and loosely translated as a 'catch 22 situation' or it cut no ice situation”.
No justification can be pressed on improper acts but capitalist captains must blow the wool from their eyes and ears and listen to the cries of the ‘working poor’
Revolutionary sobriety cannot be floundered by few people disguising as revolutionaries during legal strikes sanctioned by Trade Unions as juristic person[s].
