COSATU Today, Friday 27 November 2009

The Financial Sector Campaign Coalition (FSCC) and COSATU are disappointed but not surprised at the latest move by the Banking Association of South Africa to pull out of the Financial Sector Charter.

The banks are showing their true colours after years of undermining the Charter's attempts to measure financial sector transformation in an independent and objective forum.

This week's antics by the Banking Association of South Africa show the cynicism of the banks towards transformation. BASA Managing Director Cas Coovadia is reported as saying the banks would in future not engage with organised labour and community groups but would engage directly with Government and the Association of Black Securities and Investment Professionals (Absip) "because this body is among the organisations which have black interests".

We condemn these arrogant, elitist bully-boy tactics of divide-and-rule. Just who are the banks trying to fool when by saying Absip represents "black interests", but that organised labour and community groups do not? The banks are as much out of touch with the people today as they were during apartheid when they propped up an illegal regime and financed crimes against humanity. They do not serve the people; they rip us off. They are not willing partners in transformation; they are obstacles to it.

We call on both Government and Absip to publicly dissociate themselves from these attempts by BASA to undermine the Charter and sideline the very black people that transformation and broad-based black economic empowerment are intended to serve. We urge them not to fall for the banks' doublespeak and to resist attempts by the banks and their self-serving Association to subvert government and black professionals to their elitist cause.

During the past year of negotiations to resolve the banks' refusal to align the Charter with the Codes of Good Practice, only one issue remained unresolved. The banks refused to budge on the Charter's "once empowered, always empowered" clause.

This was put in the Charter by the banks when they first drafted the Charter in 2003 so that they would only ever have to do a single BEE deal in order to score BEE Charter points in perpetuity, even if the black owners exited from the deal and sold their shares back to whites.

This would mean a 100% white-owned bank could claim forever to be black-owned. This clause makes a mockery of BEE. But the banks refused to give up "once empowered, always empowered".

Ironically, with only days to go before a scheduled board meeting of the Charter Council, which Community, Labour and Government had hoped would finally resolve the alignment issue, by pulling out of the Charter, the banks will have to comply with the Codes, so they will forfeit "once empowered, always empowered" anyway. So what is really driving the banks out of the Charter?

The truth is that the banks do not want to be in any structure that they do not control exclusively and in their own profit-maximising interests. Banks refuse to be held to account in any forum which can measure genuine transformation in an objective and independent manner.

They have been unwilling partners in the Charter process from the day they reluctantly accepted that it would include the constituencies representing their customers, the organised Labour and Community groups in the National Economic Development and Labour Council (Nedlac) that first tabled demands for financial sector transformation in 2001. Their intransigence ranged from refusing to finalise standards by which bank performance would be measured to refusing to align with the Codes.

As Charter participants, we have endured this behaviour for almost five years and have come to the realisation that the Banking Association, like the industry it represents, is a small elitist club of mainly white men and a few co-opted black people, who will stop at nothing to hold on to the privileges they grabbed for themselves throughout apartheid, clung onto during the Mbeki years and now blatantly refuse to give up.

They entered the Charter process because they believed it would be a way of holding on to their power and riches. They mistakenly believed they could control the Charter so that it would shield them from transformation. Community and Labour groups will not be part of the banks' charade. We call on our colleagues in Government and Absip to support us as we redouble our efforts to make the banks serve the people of South Africa.

1.2 DENOSA supports 16 days of activism against women and children abuse

Asanda Fongqo, DENOSA Communications Officer, 26 November 2009

DENOSA has supported the call to eradicate violence against women and children completely in our society.

As an organization that, by a vast majority comprises of women, we are disturbed that even to this day women and children are still subjected to abuse.

It is imperative to emphasise that DENOSA utterly condemns any form of violence against women and children.

It is further disturbing to learn in various mediums of the rapes, sexual harassments and other forms of abuse against women on a daily basis. We call on the government to act swiftly against the culprits in this regard and punish them severely.

In the same breath, we appeal to all women and children who are on the receiving end of this unacceptable behaviour to come out forward and expose the cowards.

The newly established Ministry of Women, Children and people with disability illustrates the vigour and the seriousness of government to deal with challenges that are confronted by this population. We therefore urge the Ministry to accelerate their efforts to deal with challenges faced by women and children.

We also find it fitting to thank all those women who work tirelessly taking care of patients under difficult conditions. We note the scrutiny and the adverse exhibition that they often receive from the media amid their efforts to deliver quality healthcare to our people.

DENOSA reiterates that women and children play a key role in the betterment of our country and therefore it is appropriate to treat them with respect and dignity.

1.3 Black Christmas looms for Moutse

Mogotji Seun, Moutse District SACP Secretary, 26 November 2009 :

The deafening silence from authorities to announce and deciding on the consultation process result in regard to Moutse demarcation matters has caused despondency among the affected communities.

After almost two months of the consultation processes which were supposed to determine whether the majority of stakeholders supported Moutse's reincorporation into Mpumalanga or its retention in Limpopo Province, the ANC NEC has not taken a decision or make official the results which are unanimously in favor of reincorporation of Moutse back into Mpumalanga Province.

The Communities suspect that the delay in announcing the results and deciding on the matter by the responsible officials is informed by the unexpected outcomes which went against the wishes of some NEC who are determined, by hook or crook, to hijack Moutse into Limpopo province.

The cracks in the Tripartite alliance are showing as there seem to be a clear undermining of the Communist Comrades who were willing to see the matter come to its end and the will of the people respected.

Comrades Sicelo Shiceka, Gwede Mantashe, Buti Manamela and Blade Nzimande are been lambasted within the corridors of power and accused of supporting the move back to Mpumalanga. The communities in Moutse and affected areas have vowed to rally behind these Comrades at all costs.

The people of Moutse have threatened to follow the example of SAKHILE Township and gave an ultimatum to the ANC to pronounce on their matter or deal with the anger of the people come the 05th December 2009.Local leaders have send an invite to avail themselves and give answers to the despondent communities. The stage is set and the knives are out. What next?

1.4 CTV marches for freedom

CTV Chairperson Martin Jansen, 26 November 2009

Supporters of Cape Town TV (CTV) marched on Parliament yesterday to demand government support for the channel, and for community broadcasting in general. The marchers, most of whom were drawn from CTV’s membership base of NGOs and unions, staged a colourful procession through the CBD to the gates of Parliament.

A memorandum stating their grievances and demands was handed to the Secretary of Parliament, Zingile Dingani, by the Chairperson of the CTV Board, Martin Jansen. CTV is fighting to remain on air in the face of several threats to its existence.

Says Jansen, “The state is not maintaining the vision of democracy that we fought for when we defeated apartheid. Today the government favours the interests of big capital ahead of those of the people. We have to fight for our right to communicate and to keep community television on air.”

CTV is demanding the following actions from government:

That CTV is not switched off when ICASA licenses a new cell phone TV operator next year but that a frequency is allocated to carry the channel.
The creation of a interim support fund for existing community TV stations, in addition to the speedy implementation of the Public Broadcasting Fund.
That Sentech provides CTV with a good quality signal and transmission for free or at a significantly reduced rate.
That community TV is protected during and after the migration to digital terrestrial television.

There are several factors that now directly threaten the existence of community television stations, and CTV is calling on the South African government to meet its commitments to a real developmental state by keeping community television alive.

Firstly ICASA intends to switch off all community TV stations in South Africa next year because of the migration to digital broadcasting. Government structures have no clear plan in place to secure community TV’s space on the airwaves when digital broadcasting arrives. Community television cannot continue to broadcast on analogue frequencies when viewers are switching over to digital television; and ICASA has only provided space on digital multiplex 1 to the Christian broadcaster TBN, which has a community television license. There is also no clarity on how other community television channels can be accommodated on local or national multiplexes.

Funding for community television is another urgent issue. Recently CTV had to go off air because it could not afford to pay the commercial rates charged by the state-owned signal provider, Sentech. Government funding is vital for this type of public service television to survive without being unduly commercialised.

CTV supports the proposed Public Broadcasting Fund, but it could take years for community TV to benefit from it. In the meantime community television stations are under constant threat of being cut off. Government must address the issue of funding community television now in order to secure the people’s right to communicate and to receive the information they need for community development.

Licensing is a third factor. Community TV operators struggle to attract financial support because they are licensed through one year “temporary” licenses, which means they are not seen as secure long-term investment prospects. The licensing period must be longer for community TV to be sustainable – and this must be effected much sooner than 2012, when the envisaged seven-year ‘class’ licenses may come into effect.

Comments Jansen, “Most citizens are simply not aware of these threats to community television and have not made their voices heard. If we want to save community TV as the people’s voice, it is critical that we stand up for our right to communicate.”

1.5 YCL National Secretary joins Ministers to hand over house to the Mhlongo Family

Gugu Ndima, YCL Spokesperson, 26 November 2009

YCL National Secretary, Buti Manamela, joined Minister of Home Affairs, Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma; Premier of KwaZulu Natal, Zweli Mkhize and other Ministers and Deputy Minister to hand over a house to the family of the late Skhumbuzo Mhlongo in Pinetown, Emololweni.

Mhlongo committed suicide last month after he was denied an Identity Document by officials at Home Affairs. Mhlongo is survived by two sisters and a brother, who were there to receive the house. The YCLSA also fundraised the furniture for the new house and mobilised young volunteers to help in building the house.

This is part of the YCL “Kabelo Thibedi ID Campaign” to ensure that young people have access to ID’s, and an improvement of service delivery. Through the Kabelo Thibedi Campaign, more than 15 000 young people have managed to get access to Identity Documents.

Speaking to journalists at the handing over, Manamela appealed to the youth not to consider suicide as an option to the many problems they may be facing. Manamela also committed the YCLSA to work together with the new Minister, and pledged that the YCLSA will continue to go all out and ensure that young people get their ID’s.

1.6 Latest AIDS statistics verify need for sustained, comprehensive response

Thabo Sephuma, EA A’s HIV and AIDS Campaigns Officer , 26 November 2006|

Christian leaders in the Ecumenical Advocacy Alliance (EAA) active in the response to HIV and AIDS welcomed the latest statistics on the epidemic indicating a decline in new infections over the past eight years, while emphasizing the need to expand comprehensive treatment and prevention services to continue the positive trend.

UNAIDS and the World Health Organization released its annual AIDS Epidemic Update on 24 November, indicating that 33.4 million people were living with HIV in 2008, up slightly from 2007. The higher figure is credited to increased availability to treatment allowing more people to live longer. Overall, the data indicates that new infections have dropped 17 percent over the past eight years.

“The statistics are a testament to the effectiveness of treatment and a concerted response to tackle the epidemic,” says Rev. Dr. Ishmael Noko, General Secretary of the Lutheran World Federation. “This should motivate us further to continue to expand treatment and achieve access to comprehensive HIV prevention, treatment, care and support for all women, men and children.”

Despite areas of progress, worrying gaps exist. Children still account for 2.1 million of people living with HIV, although the number of deaths have declined. The number of children newly infected with HIV in 2008 was roughly 18% lower than in 2001.

“Certainly it’s good news that the number of new infections in children are declining and there is more access to ARVs for children,” says Rev. Christo Greyling, Global Advisor on HIV and AIDS and Faith Partnerships for World Vision International. “But frankly, the question is why over 400,000 children a year are still being newly infected? We have the knowledge and services to prevent the transmission of HIV from mother to child, yet the majority of expectant mothers – 55 percent – still do not receive such services.”

The report also highlighted that as modes of transmission shift within countries – such as from injecting drug use to heterosexual sex – HIV prevention approaches have so far not been able to shift effectively.

“It highlights the challenge of HIV prevention,” says Manoj Kurian, Programme Executive for Health and Healing, World Council of Churches. “No single approach is effective, but we need to use the combined efforts of the variety of organizations involved in the response to raise awareness, share information and resources, and provide the support necessary for culturally appropriate and evidence-based forms of prevention.”

Msgr. Robert Vitillo, Special Advisor on HIV and AIDS, Caritas Internationalis, emphasizes that the report shows that “AIDS remains a global health priority that needs concerted effort. It’s complexity also means we have to address the root causes of vulnerability, encourage responsible behaviour, and promote universal access to health care and treatment for all in need.”

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1.7 SAMA lauds health Minister

Dr Norman Mabasa, SAMA Chairperson, 27 November 2009

SAMA has commended the Health ministry for tackling the daunting challenges in our public healthcare facilities, and fully supports the establishment of a Hospital Standards Watchdog. SAMA looks forward to seeing the positive results of this intervention.

We believe that there are two important areas when ascertaining whether an institution is working properly: Where an institution is in a state of disrepair, that institution can either be demolished or rebuilt, but where it is a human resource problem one either needs to remove the incompetent individuals or fill the vacancies that may exist.

SAMA calls on all Doctors as well as other healthcare professionals and workers, to heed the Ministry's calls for assistance in making quality and outcome-driven improvements a reality, whatever our positions within the public health facilities. We know that most institutions are understaffed and under-equipped and this problem may not be corrected overnight. We hope that Government looks at employing more professionals and ensuring that the institutions are adequately equipped, specifically with the implementation of National Health Insurance in mind.

Says Dr Norman Mabasa, SAMA Chairman: "The Ministry's naming of specific hospitals should be seen as an attempt to enable these facilities to aspire to improve service delivery levels as a matter of urgency. We are aware that there are State facilities which may be looked upon as role-models worth emulating, and these must similarly be flagged. SAMA also hopes that this doesn’t turn into another wish-list implementation that would end in disappointment".

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1.8 COSATU slams poor health service in North West

Solly Phetoe, COSATU NW Provincial Secretary, 27 November 2009

COSATU in the North West Province is disturbed over the deaths that are increasing in government public hospitals as a result of poor healthcare facilities, poor management, staff shortages, over-worked staff and a don’t-care attitude by some senior hospital officials and doctors.

On 29 October 2009 Esther Mothupi, age 30 years lost her twins, due to the attitude of Dr Tolulope Olope from Nigeria. She visited Ganyesa Hospital, after being referred from Morokweng clinic, to check out her multiple pregnancy. The doctor confirmed on the same date that one of her twin was already dead and instructed the poor women to go back home, and be back after two weeks with the dead body. She was in pain and could not last for a day. She came back after two week and was examined by a white doctor who confirmed the second twin was also dead, and she was admitted to deliver dead bodies, due to criminal attitude of the Nigerian doctor.

Itumeleng Motaung was admitted at George Stegman Hospital on 6^th August 2009. He went missing from the hospital on 11 August 2009 and was found dead on 27 October 2009 right inside the hospital shower next to the patient ward.

COSATU is told by the mother of the deceased that the hospital refused to co-operate with the police. The corpse was removed from the shower before the investigation of the police. The mother’s name is Jane Motaung a domestic worker – 072 998 4820

COSATU calls for:

Ø An urgent implementation of NHI programme in all rural hospitals.

Ø The MEC for Health to take responsibility of all those who have lost their lives.

Ø The MEC for Health and her department to be arrested and criminally charged for the deaths.

Ø North West provincial government to take responsibility for counseling the affected families.

Ø Investigation of the Ganyesa and George Stegman Hospitals and that the report to be made public.

Ø The CEO of those hospital to be suspended with criminal charges

It about time that the national and provincial government respects the poor voter, poor workers, poor communities. Our key priorities as per the ANC manifesto must be implemented.

We are convinced, as the poor working class, that all these poor facilities and attitude are led by corrupt officials of the Department of Health. Corruption is criminal; corrupt officials must be arrested and prosecuted, in particular senior officials of government and their supported who are outside government.

COSATU is still calling for the North West Premier to extend the forensic investigation to all the departments for racism.

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1.9 SAMA urges doctors to support World AIDS Day

Dr Norman Mabasa, SAMA Chairperson, 27 November 2009

SAMA has called on all doctors to observe World Aids Day on 01 December, and to participate in the related activities.

World Aids Day is about increasing awareness of HIV and AIDS, but also about education and fighting prejudice. SAMA welcomes the Government’s initiatives that they have introduced for this day, and would like to stress that World Aids Day is an opportunity to make a difference. The theme “I am responsible, We are responsible, South Africa is taking responsibility”, heralds a new era as collectively, as a nation, we are taking responsibility to stop new HIV infections and also ensuring that those living with HIV have access to treatment¹.

SAMA calls on the public to participate in this day and we encourage members of the public to go to the available centres for testing and counselling. We also encourage pregnant women to test early in their pregnancy for HIV, so that they can prevent their babies from becoming infected.

Dr Norman Mabasa, SAMA Chairman said, "SAMA supports the main World Aids Day event that Government is hosting at the Pretoria Showgrounds, where both President Jacob Zuma and Health Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi will be addressing the nation. It is important for everyone to know their HIV status by testing regularly for HIV and for every South African living with HIV to have access to anti-retroviral (ARV) treatment. SAMA repeats our call that treatment should commence as soon as the CD4 count has dropped to 350 and below.”

Support World Aids Day on 01 December – and remember to wear your red ribbon.

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2. International

2.1 COSATU supports SA government on illegal settlements in East Jerusalem

Bongani Masuku, COSATU’s International Relations Secretary, 27 November 2009

COSATU has supported the statement of the South African government on the continued illegal expansion of the Israeli occupation, particularly in East Jerusalem.

“We condemn the fact that Israeli settlement expansion in East Jerusalem is coupled with Israel's campaign to evict and displace the original Palestinian residents from the city," said Chief Director for Public Diplomacy, Saul Kgomotso Molobi. “We call upon the Israeli government to cease their activities that are reminiscent of apartheid forced removals."

COSATU equally emphasises that Israel is an occupying power and that international legal obligations are clear on such matters, and rejects the attacks on our government by the Zionist Federation of South Africa, the body responsible for defending the policies of apartheid Israel in our country.

The Zionists arrogantly state that, “the Israeli government is legally entitled to allow for the natural expansion of the Jerusalem suburb of Gilo, in East Jerusalem. People, whether Jew or Arab, are being removed from their homes only because those homes are illegal. Any increase in the cycle of violence in the region will come from the radical Palestinian element determined at all costs to ensure that peace remains forever elusive.”

“The SA Zionist Federation is appalled that the SA government compares the situation in Israel with that of ‘apartheid forced removals’. The apartheid regime was radically immoral; for the SA government to compare the two shows a regrettable lack of understanding of both and simultaneously makes a mockery of the tragedy of apartheid.”

It finally makes the following ridiculous conclusion: “The South African Zionist Federation condemns the double standards applied only to Israel by our government; and questions again why Israel is always judged to a standard different from that of the rest of the world.”

In fact, the greatest display of double standards is that by the US and Israel, who refuse to be subjected to the ICC and other international institutions of redress and justice for their war crimes in Gaza and the whole of Palestine, as well as in Afghanistan and Iraq.

The COSATU 10^th National Congress resolution was clear on this matter when it said: “We support all cases that try those that committed crimes against humanity. However, we must ensure that this is not selective in its application and not used for narrow political interests, but to ensure relief and justice for victims of war crimes, abuse and conflicts.

“COSATU should call on the ICC to investigate and prosecute Israel and the US for war crimes in Palestine, Iraq, Afghanistan and the whole Middle East, so as to ensure that the narrow interests of the powerful do not promote impunity in the administration of global justice”.

Therefore we call on the Zionist Federation and its associates to respect international law, cease their support for apartheid policies and join the world community of freedom-loving people in the search for peace, justice and happiness for all.

We also encourage the South African government to continue raising the plight of our suffering brothers and sisters in Palestine who desire only peace and dignity in their own land. This is a legitimate struggle like those of in the same way that all colonised people waged their own struggles for democracy and freedom from occupation.

The federation also takes this opportunity to join the world community of solidarity activists in preparing for global commemorations against the brutal Gaza incursion by Israel during December.

COSATU welcomes the initiative of the British Universities and Colleges Union and the British Committee for the Universities of Palestine to be held in various parts of the UK in December to bring together the active participation of unions that support the global BDS Campaign against Israel.

It will involve a series of major public meetings in Leeds, Glasgow and Manchester, culminating in a major BDS Conference in London on 5^th December 2009. This kind of public mobilisation, involving mainly organisations and influential individuals from Palestine, South Africa, the UK and other parts of the world, is an important step in the process of consolidating a strong global movement for the liberation of Palestine. It should be emulated in all national campaigns.

Unless we unite and act together globally, a serious backlash could result and the cause of the Palestinian people could suffer under the weight of US imperialism and its cronies. This campaign was certainly boosted by the UN General Assembly’s historic adoption of the Goldstone report, with its limitations, which is a step forward in the campaign for the prosecutions of all war criminals.

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, Friday 27 November 2009

Patrick Craven

Contents

Jan Mahlangu, COSATU Retirement Funds Policy Co-ordinator, 26 November 2009

Asanda Fongqo, DENOSA Communications Officer, 26 November 2009

Mogotji Seun, Moutse District SACP Secretary, 26 November 2009 :

CTV Chairperson Martin Jansen, 26 November 2009

Gugu Ndima, YCL Spokesperson, 26 November 2009

Thabo Sephuma, EA A’s HIV and AIDS Campaigns Officer , 26 November 2006|

Dr Norman Mabasa, SAMA Chairperson, 27 November 2009

Solly Phetoe, COSATU NW Provincial Secretary, 27 November 2009

Dr Norman Mabasa, SAMA Chairperson, 27 November 2009

Bongani Masuku, COSATU’s International Relations Secretary, 27 November 2009