Taking COSATU Today Forward Special Bulletin, 2 July 2024
Norman Mampane
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COSATU TODAY It’s July, #MandelaMonth |
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
Our side of the story
Tuesday, 2 July 2024
COSATU Call Centre Number is 010 219 1342
“Build Working Class Unity for Economic Liberation towards Socialism”
Organize or Starve!
Contents
o Workers Parliament: Back to Basics!
- COSATU welcomes Eskom initiatives to end loadshedding
o South Africa
- COSATU commends Investec on its strides on minimum pay
o International-Workers’ Solidarity!
- EUCO: Every job in Europe should be a top job
Workers’ Parliament-Back2Basics
COSATU welcomes Eskom initiatives to end loadshedding
Zanele Sabela, COSATU National Spokesperson, 02 July 2024
The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) commends Eskom on 96 days of no loadshedding. We celebrate the tireless efforts of the employees of Eskom to turn our most important economic asset around and ease the pressures on the entire nation.
Many South Africans were initially sceptical when the loadshedding-free period started in March, with some unfairly branding it an election ploy to appease voters.
But with the polls firmly behind us and the government of national unity (GNU) in place led by President Cyril Ramaphosa and the African National Congress, the excellent progress being made by Eskom sets us on a path to close the painful chapter of loadshedding.
On Sunday Eskom announced that Kusile power station’s unit 5 was put into operation and was supplying an extra 800MW to the national grind. The power utility said unit 5 had undergone a series of tests in the last six months, during which it had met performance targets while intermittently generating power, supporting the grid and alleviating loadshedding.
According to Eskom CEO, Dan Marokane, 800MW is a fraction of the total 2 500MW that will have been added to the grid by end of this year. This follows recent progress over the past year in bringing other units of Kusile and Medupi back on grid as well as ramping up maintenance programmes.
Last week the power utility announced plans to procure 101 transformers in the next four years and a total 170 by 2032, adding cumulative generation capacity of 53GW to the grid. Eskom’s ambitious plans to invest in transmission and generation capacity will further cement this progress.
Given Eskom’s crucial role in powering the economy, the current initiatives bode well and set the stage for the GNU to unlock and grow the economy, create decent permanent jobs, and declare war on poverty and inequality.
Issued by COSATU
South Africa
COSATU Calls on GNU to Hit the Ground Running
Zanele Sabela, COSATU National Spokesperson, 30 June 2024
The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) notes President Cyril Ramaphosa’s announcement of the government of national unity (GNU) and welcomes its diverse representation including that of women and youth.
COSATU expects the GNU to hit the ground running and get on with the business of unlocking the economy, creating decent permanent jobs, reducing poverty and inequality and ensuring inclusive growth beyond the paltry 1% the country has endured in recent years.
Whilst COSATU and our allies, the South African Communist Party and the African National Congress, campaigned tirelessly for an outright ANC majority at the 29 May polls, we accept the will of voters to see political power shared amongst vastly different and contesting political formations.
The GNU must be guided by the Constitution and the rule of law and be biased towards the needs of working-class communities. As the leading party nationally and provincially, we expect the policy mandate of the GNU to be anchored upon the ANC manifesto, as we cannot afford a free for all where each of the GNU’s 10 parties’ manifestos vie for space.
For the Federation it is crucial that the principles included in the GNU Declaration, specifically respecting the hard won constitutional and labour rights of workers as well as the transformation agenda be honoured. Equally critical for COSATU is the delivery of the National Health Insurance and comprehensive social security, supporting the principles of employment equity and Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment, accelerating the war on crime and corruption, investing in the developmental state and well-resourced public services, supporting the African agenda and pledging solidarity with struggling nations across the world, including the Palestinian people.
COSATU will also keep a close eye on portfolios allocated to parties other than the ANC to ensure they deliver and do not stray from the GNU’s mandate. We will place the Democratic Alliance (DA) under stringent scrutiny to ensure it abandons its history of opposing workers hard won rights and transformation.
We will continue hold the ANC accountable and work to ensure it complies with its step-aside resolution for public representatives charged by law enforcement. It is important this progressive principle is adopted by other parties in government and Parliament if we are to win the war against state capture and corruption.
The GNU needs to be stable, coherent and deliver on its mandate. COSATU will work closely with the SACP and ANC to strengthen the Alliance and ensure the gains working-class communities have won since 1994 are not tempered with. We will engage with the broader trade union movement to unite Labour, defend collective bargaining and ensure that no attempt by any party to undermine the rights of workers at any level is allowed or entertained.
Issued by COSATU
International-Solidarity
EUCO: Every job in Europe should be a top job
Commenting on the outcome of the European Council, ETUC General Secretary Esther Lynch said:
“It is good news that the far-right have been frozen out of the decision on the EU’s top jobs. Cooperation with far-right forces in the European Parliament must also be rejected.
“However, the best defence against the far-right is to ensure that every job in Europe is a top job: quality jobs with fair pay and conditions and collective bargaining in every sector and every region.
“Evidence shows that people who are dissatisfied with their pay and working conditions, and have little say over their job, are more likely to be vulnerable to far-right messages.
“The EU’s new leadership must make it a priority to protect and create quality jobs, improve working conditions and give workers a real say over their future.
“The key is to promote collective bargaining, which is the best way to fair pay and conditions, as well as to strengthen democracy at work.
“It is also necessary to secure a permanent investment tool at EU level to support industrial policy and a just transition to a green and digital economy for all sectors and regions, delivering quality jobs and social progress, instead of returning to austerity.
“Workers’ rights and social standards must be protected and reinforced, not subject to deregulation attacks.
“We call on candidate for President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, to include the priorities outlined in the ETUC Manifesto for a Fair Deal for Workers in the priorities for the Commission work programme for the next five years.
“We congratulate Antonio Costa on his election as President of the European Council. We call on him to continue to work with trade unions to deliver social progress and to advance towards the full implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights.
”Ultimately it is policies rather than personalities that will decide whether Europe continues to command the support of working people.”
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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