Taking COSATU Today Forward, 20 May 2024
Norman Mampane
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COSATU TODAY Dear workers: #May29 is few days to come. Let’s come out with our families to #VoteANC with an overwhelming majority #ElijahBarayiBrigades #VoteANC #ClassStruggle “Build Working Class Unity for Economic Liberation towards Socialism” #Back2Basics #JoinCOSATUNow #ClassConsciousness |
Taking COSATU Today Forward
‘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
20 May 2024
“Build Working Class Unity for Economic Liberation towards Socialism”
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Contents
- Workers Parliament: Back to Basics!
- POPCRU post-NEC Statement
- South Africa
- Electoral Commision on special voting out-of-country in 2024 elections
- NATJOINTS on the state of readiness for the upcoming 2024 elections
- International-Workers’ Solidarity!
- Uniting for justice for ALL workers
Workers’ Parliament-Back2Basics
POPCRU post-NEC Statement
Jeff Dladla, POPCRU General Secretary, 18 May 2024
The Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (POPCRU) convened its ordinary three-day National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting from the 14th to the 16th of May 2024.
This first NEC meeting assessed the outcomes and successes of the 10th POPCRU National Congress, considered the international context, national political and socio-economic circumstances including its organisational assessment, in particular, matters affecting its membership and the working class in general.
From the deliberations, it was clear that the union remains a radical, transformative union and a labour movement that is committed to taking up the immediate concerns of the workers in their workplaces. As part of being a civil rights union, NEC also re-affirmed its long-standing commitment to dealing with broader social and political challenges in the context of fighting for a just society.
• NHI
The NEC meeting took place at a time when the President of the country, Cyril Ramaphosa signed into law the National Health Insurance Bill, a decision the NEC wholeheartedly welcomed as it marks a remarkable move away from the undesirable legacy of two unequal healthcare systems in one country. This, the NEC believes is best articulated in section 27 (1) of the constitution which states that everyone has a right to have access to healthcare services including reproductive healthcare, and therefore no one should lose their lives because of lack of access to healthcare as it is a fundamental human right.
• Austerity measures
The NEC denounced the National Treasury’s attack on public service bargaining. In its attack on public service bargaining, the National Treasury did not budget for salary increases for public servants in order to force national departments, public entities and provincial governments to cut budgets for other priorities.
It also raised concerns at signals spearheaded by the National Treasury, indicating that it intends further tightening austerity through a circulated letter calling for a freeze on new personnel appointments and procurement for new infrastructure development projects, among others.
The circumstances we find ourselves in have added an additional dimension to the multiple crises of social reproduction facing the working-class and poor – a cost of living crisis, whose impact falls disproportionately hard on food items consumed by lower income people.
While the original causes of the crisis of stagflation our economy is currently enmeshed in are global, the fact is that our performance is falling way below those of peer countries.
These austerity measure have already had a negative impact on school books, medical and food supplies-and capital budgets which finance the construction of roads, dams, hospitals and water treatment plants and the fight against crime.
The NEC strongly expressed on its demand for the full implementation of the last leg of the PSCBC Resolution 1 of 2018.
• State of the Union
The NEC broadly reflected on challenges facing the labour movement in general, and upon much deliberations resolved to intensify its work in building a stronger union that is united, and therefore reaffirming the need to reinforce our resolve to strengthen our long-held traditions of worker control, class consciousness and placing service to members at the centre of our overall programs.
Part of its key priorities towards achieving this is to work towards ensuring the unity of the COSATU Joint Mandating Committee (JMC) and to hold a National Political School in the coming months to build the ideological, intellectual and organisational capacity of the union.
The NEC further reflected on challenges facing workers within various departments of the Criminal Justice Cluster (CJC), including the high costs of living, the increasing crime rates, and the killings of law enforcement officers and the mass exodus of specialised skills.
• National Political Situation
On the domestic front, the NEC made an in-depth assessment on the state of our National Democratic Revolution (NDR) and also reflected on the upcoming 2024 National Elections.
The NEC reaffirmed our perspective that the National Democratic Revolution (NDR) is at a critical point of stagnation – facing multiple threats from various social forces that are fundamentally opposed to the transformation agenda.
In this regard, the NEC called on the organised working class led by our socialist-axis to take responsibility and leadership role as the primary motive force in the NDR as part of our struggle for socialism.
As it relates to the 2024 national elections, the NEC reaffirmed the correctness of our deliberations to defend the gains of our revolution by aligning with COSATU and SACP in campaigning for an outright majority victory for the African National Congress (ANC) in the 2024 national elections.
The organised working class cannot fold its arms whilst watching a fraudulent right-wing takeover unfold through an elite power-grab arrangement as orchestrated through the Multi-Party Charter, post-elections. Our key message is that for us the SACP is our choice as the vanguard of the working class and the ANC is our option in these coming elections as the leading component of the Alliance.
POPCRU will, post the National Elections convene necessary platforms to make an assessment of the outcomes of the elections and the state of the NDR, with a view to work towards a concrete analysis to guide our review and strengthening of our strategic perspective and political programme.
• Socio-Economic Situation
The NEC noted with concern that the South African economy continues to remain stagnant with no prospects of growth as a direct result of the neoliberal austerity programme which has been implemented since 2015 and intensified from 2020 by the sixth administration. The economy is expected to grow by less than 1% this year and to average by 1.4% up to the 2026/2027 financial year.
Indeed, this dire economic situation has resulted to the current crisis of deepening unemployment, inequality and poverty that confronts millions of our people. South Africa remains the most unequal society in the world. We are extremely disappointed by the lack of courage, urgency and decisiveness from government on the pressing need to address the economic crisis and the crisis of social reproduction facing our people.
The NEC condemned the National Treasury’s austerity offensive which continues to generate record levels of unemployment and poverty rates, whilst inequalities continue to deepen. The NEC agreed that these austerity measures are an offensive against the public servants by Treasury, and wider implications for the state to deliver services in health, education, policing etc.
On the Rand Manipulation, the NEC categorically condemned the manipulation of the Rand and Dollar exchange by the implicated 28 banks and calls for the criminal prosecution of those involved rather than just the imposition of fines. This is part of the widespread corruption engulfing the private sector and that has infected the public sector through the tenders and public-private-partnerships.
On the two-pot system, the NEC noted the current development on the system, and will be cautioning members on the implications of tax while cashing in on the savings pot, which will result in the reduction of service when reaching a pensionable age.
• Crime
The crime situation in our country has been on an increase at an alarming rate and seems to worsen unabated. Successive releases of crime statistics are a reminder of the devastating impact budget cuts are having on service delivery within the entire criminal justice cluster, even further adversely affecting the police-community relationships.
Our law enforcement agencies are not just struggling with staff shortages, but they are also poorly equipped, with many police stations having challenges regarding the uneven allocation of resources.
The NEC is of the firm view that combating crime should not solely be seen as a police issue, but needs all stakeholders, especially communities, to come on board and play a role through having good working relations with police.
To this extent, the NEC commended the work done thus far in having convened a Policing Indaba, which was premised on the intensification and expansion of work that the government is already undertaking with various sectors of society, business and communities to prevent and combat crime, as encouraged in the National Crime Prevention Strategy, which requires the mobilisation of broader responsibility and a more proactive approach on crime prevention.
The NEC resolved to speedily follow up on the commitments made at the Indaba and work towards enacting the joint decisions.
• The killing of law enforcement officers
The NEC expressed concern over the continued killings of law enforcement officers in the country, a phenomenon which remains highly regressive in addressing the proper functioning of the Criminal Justice System in South Africa. Law enforcement officers have become targeted victims of the worst crime, with attacks and killings escalating in the country.
This unfolding national crisis has the potential of threatening the country’s peace and stability as majority of these dedicated men and women are killed on duty while preventing, combating or solving a crime whilst some are attacked while guarding inmates, traffic and police officers ambushed when conducting patrols, with their official firearms and uniforms being stolen with the probable intention of committing further crimes.
The NEC reaffirmed its call for government to publicly declare war against cold-blooded criminals by amending current legislations to classify this barbaric act as treasonous.
While it is acknowledged that policing is‚ by its very nature‚ a high-risk occupation and that our members are exposed to dangerous situations and cold-blooded criminals‚ joining the police service should not be equal to signing a death warrant.
The well-being of law enforcement officers must be of central importance to any functional service, both for the simple reason of providing adequate protections to officers, but also because a police service works best when its primary agents feel safe enough to do their job. A demoralised law enforcement agency cannot function optimally.
Additionally, the police to population ratio also remains a challenge; with the current police-population ratio of 1:450; which still fall short of the UN ratio of 1:220 officer to the population; this problem is attributed by inadequate personnel as already mentioned.
The following remedial measures should therefore be considered to curb the cold-blooded murder of men and women in blue:
• Review our police safety strategy and plan
• With the current reviewal of the Criminal Procedure Act, the killing of law enforcement officers should be considered treasonous
• Criminal Procedure Act must be amended to classify killing of police officers as treason
• Improve the compensation for killed police officers to sustain a better life for the dependents
• Various stakeholder within the Criminal Justice Cluster must collaborate to effectively resolve this deep-rooted challenge
• Employment of professionals
• The increase of a service allowance
The NEC also called for a review of the SAPS salary structure and the introduction of two streams, one being for Police Act members and the other for Public Service Act appointees, that will allow them to be grade-progressed and promoted up to salary level 15. The promotion of Public Service Act appointees will ensure we have more boots on the ground.
The NEC further noted the overcrowding and short staffing crisis among out correctional facilities, with the staff complement which stood at 40 000 in 2009 is currently standing at 38 000 with only 27 000 officials working at the coalface of correctional centres. It demanded the employment of more custodial officers.
It also expressed that DCS must not renew the contracts of private prisons in the country, and should develop a clear plan that will include admitted trade unions within the department on the winding-up process.
The NEC further noted that there is already a decision to absorb of all personnel employed by the two private prisons into the DCS as these officials were initially employed under the Correctional Services Act 111 of 1998, and this must be fast-tracked.
The following measures should be urgently taken;
• Promotion policy and shift system should be prioritised
• Correctional centres should be self-sufficient
• Correctional centres should be built in rural areas
• The employment of more personnel is vital
• The dilapidated infrastructure should be refurbished
On the fragmentation of traffic, the NEC noted that we need to hasten the nationalisation of traffic under the Department of Transport. This will ensure that road safety is standardised across the country.
In relation to Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC), the NEC noted the challenges of an 8-hour shift, the non-payment of former employees of Tasima, the ongoing wage negotiations, the demand for double-digit increment and the finalisation of all secondary issues emanating from 2023/24 wage agreement.
The following interventions should be enacted;
• The employment of more traffic officers
• Standardised uniform
• Adequate tools of trade
• Uniform shift
• Equalisation of salary
The Criminal Justice Cluster must acknowledge that there is an attack on the state from violent criminals; this serves as an indication of a society that no longer respects the rule of law. It is therefore crucial that the lives of the people who are working tirelessly under life-threatening conditions to serve and protect this country are likewise protected by members of society.
We therefore demand the payment of a danger allowance to all law enforcement officers that is equivalent to the danger faced by officers in the execution of their duties.
• Synergy within the CJC
The NEC re-emphasised its concerns on the level fragmentation within criminal justice cluster, with different departments operating differently while relying on each other’s inputs in conducting their mandated functions. It therefore proposed that there is a need to establish synergy between the Department of Correctional Services (DCS), the SAPS and the Judiciary, with the SAPS accounting for the arrests made, the Judiciary accounting for the number convictions and prosecutions, while the Department of Correctional Services accounts for the number of incarcerations.
The NEC believes this will assist in determining consolidated future budgets that should bring about a correlated approach within the CJC instead of the current continued situation wherein every department works blindly, and in isolation of one another.
• International Situation
In the context of our international situation, the NEC discussed the unfolding geopolitical and economic developments which have created challenges for the working-class and principal among these is the complete failure of global capitalism. Capitalism has caused unprecedented destruction of livelihoods of millions of the working class with extreme poverty, inequality, unemployment and misery for the working-class. The capitalist system has been unable to respond to the satisfaction of humanity. The NEC agreed that global capitalism is unable to sustain itself both systematically and structurally.
The NEC strongly condemned the unfolding genocide against the Palestinian people by the Israeli Apartheid regime and pledged its unwavering solidarity support to the people of Palestine. Furthermore, the NEC agreed to work with other progressive organisations in campaigning for the total isolation of Israel, including the permanent shutdown of its embassy in South Africa. Equally, the meeting reaffirmed its support for the international campaign on Boycott, Disinvestment and Sanctions (BDS). The NEC endorsed the World Federation Trade Unions (WFTU) campaign for humanitarian support in aid of the people of Gaza.
The NEC also discussed the unfolding developments in the African Continent, which include major progress on the rollout and implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA), accelerated digital transformation as well as a continuation of military coups, which have a major bearing on the future of African continent.
The meeting agreed and reiterated our commitment to continue our international solidarity campaigns with workers in Swaziland, Zimbabwe, and with the people of Western Sahara, Palestine, Cuba and Venezuela as well as concretising the bilateral relations with existing sister unions and to forge new relations with unions across the world.
• Towards the 10th POPCRU Provincial Congresses
POPCRU will be convening Provincial Congresses in line with its constitutional mandate between June and July 2024 under the theme “Building a sustainable organisation in defence of collective bargaining.”
These Congresses will be attended by respective delegates, and will among others get reports from the 10th POPCRU National Congress, take stock of the state of the organisation, to reflect on the course of the National Democratic Revolution and the international context in which it takes place.
The NEC is confident that from these upcoming Provincial Congresses, we will emerge stronger and more united.
Issued by POPCRU
Electoral Commision on special voting out-of-country in 2024 elections
17 May 2024
Special voting out-of-country under way for South Africa’s historic 2024 elections
The Electoral Commission is pleased to announce a smooth start to special voting abroad at nine South African missions on Friday, 17 May 2024. The Commission had designated 17 May 2024 as a special voting day at nine foreign missionss as follows: Algiers, Amman, Cairo, Damascus, Jeddah, Kuwait City, Ramallah, Riyad, and Teheran.
"We are pleased that South Africans living abroad have heeded the call to vote, and we encourage those voters whose places of voting are open today to vote before the close of voting at 19h00 (local time in the territory). It is appropriate at this time to also express gratitude to the Department of International Relations and Cooperation and the Department of Home Affairs for their ongoing support,” says Chief Electoral Officer Sy Mamabolo.
The Commission reminds voters that the 102 missions with a work week from Monday–Friday will vote tomorrow, Saturday, 18 May, between 07h00 and 19h00.
Due to the large voter population, the Commission determined two days of special voting for London. These are Saturday 18 and Sunday 19 May 2024 from 07h00 to 21h00. The additional voting day and extended voting hours are intended to enable proper arrangements for the 24 535 voters entitled to vote at the mission.
The Commission encourages South African voters in the London mission to make full use of the first day of special voting,
Saturday 18 May. “Although we have made provisions for Sunday, we urge voters not to leave it to the second and last day. On Saturday, the entire Duncannon Street will be closed off to traffic, and stanchions will be erected to facilitate large-scale queuing,” says CEO Mamabolo.
The Commission also extended voting hours at the missions in Washington DC and New York on Saturday, 18 May. The voting hours are 07h00 to 21h00. Furthermore, any voter who has a VEC 10 confirmation with a date of 17 or 18 May will be allowed to vote when they arrive at voting stations today.
Mamabolo also reminds voters that, by law, South Africans abroad and those voting outside of their provinces of registration, will only vote on the national compensatory ballot. The 2024 National compensatory ballot has 52 political parties arranged in two columns. Voters are reminded to make a mark against a single party on the ballot.
Voters out-of country on special voting days must present in person at a mission at which they are registered (or where they have successfully applied for a special vote by VEC 10 notice), and will vote as follows:
A voter will present their South African identity document (ID) book, smartcard or temporary identity certificate to the election official (copies of identity documents and images saved on devices are not competent forms of identification for voting).
The left thumbnail of the voter is marked with indelible ink to indicate that they have voted.
The name of the voter is marked off the list of voters approved to vote at that mission to indicate that the voter has participated in the election.
The voter is issued with the National compensatory ballot paper.
The voter will mark the ballot in secret, and place and seal the ballot in an unmarked envelope which will in turn be placed in a second envelop marked with details of the voter and the mission.
After the voting process, cast national compensatory ballots will be transported through a secure channel back to the national office of the Electoral Commission for counting. The votes will be counted in the presence of agents representing contestants ater the close of the voting stations in th country.
D-Day for Notifications to vote outside of your voting district
The Commission wishes to remind eligible voters who intend to vote at voting stations where they are not registered to vote on 29 May, that they must notify the Electoral Commission of their intention by midnith tonight Friday, 17 May 2024.
The general rule in elections is that a voter votes in a voting district where they are registered. The only exception to this rule is that a voter may vote outside of their registered voting district only after notifying the Electoral Commission. The notification period opened on March 15 and will close at midnight on 17 May 2024
Voters
can notify the Commission by visiting www.elections.org.za and
using the online Section 24A notifications portal.
Voters may use the following channels to check their registration details and voting station ahead of election day:
Online at www.elections.org.za/pw/Voter/Voter-Information
SMSing their ID number to 32810
Contact centre on 0800 11 8000.
The
IEC APP downloadable from AppStore
Issued by Independent Electoral Commission
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NATJOINTS on the state of readiness for the upcoming 2024 elections
19 May 2024
NATJOINTS at the media briefing held Sunday 19 May 2024, Hatfield, Pretoria
Good morning ladies and gentlemen.
Today marks exactly 10 days before South Africans exercise their democratic right to vote. As the National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (NATJOINTS) which is led by the South African Police Service, the South African National Defence Force and the State Security Agency, we are confident that the measures that have been put in place are sufficient to ensure that the country’s upcoming general elections proceed without any incidents of crime and disruptions.
Having conducted a national security assessment with key role players in the Justice, Crime Prevention and Security Cluster, we are satisfied with the operational plan that is currently being implemented, and can assure South Africans that a conducive environment for a peaceful election has been prepared.
While measures have been put in place, the ultimate responsibility of a safe and secure election lies with each one of us. It is a partnership that is required to create harmony, respect for self and others even as we make our way to the polls and back home.
Ladies and gentlemen
The national priority committee comprising various government departments and co-chaired by the Independent Electoral Commission the SAPS, SANDF and SSA was established a year ago. This committee is set on ensuring the development and actualisation of a security strategy that encompasses the implementation of command and control measures to protect the integrity and credibility of the 2024 general elections.
The executive management of the SAPS recently visited each province to assess their state of readiness. The work done with the respective provincial commissioners at the helm, confirms that indeed all provinces are ready and have put the necessary measures in place to prevent and combat incidents of violence and criminality before, during and post elections.
It is worth noting that training of law enforcement agencies on the electoral act and other legislation in support of the 2024 national and provincial government elections has been conducted.
Ladies and gentlemen…The planning for the safety and security of the 2024 General Elections has been finalised. The operational phase will commence from Wednesday, 22 May 2024 with the activation of the NATJOINTS Coordination Centre, until 09 June 2024. The Centre has operated in various locations in the past, during COVID-19 at the Reserve Bank. This centre which is equipped with the state of art modern technology will officially be opened by the JCPS ministers on Friday, 24th May 2024.
This NATJOINTS Coordination Centre (NCC) is operating around the clock, closely monitoring the situation in the country through proactive identification of threats and vulnerabilities. The Centre serves as a central point of contact for coordination of information and the reporting of incidents to ensure a swift, prompt and coordinated response. This is where all operations in relation to major events in the country including the National and Provincial General Elections will be coordinated from. The NCC structure is mirrored at provincial level through the PROVJOINTS activated through the provincial joint operation centres.
The NATJOINTS and PROVJOINTS’ five-pillar approach is being implemented to ensure that all areas of concern are covered through:
Intelligence gathering, analysis and co-ordination;
Proactive approach which includes high visibility to police, prevent and respond to any crime eventuality;
Combat approach through law enforcement in response to any violation of the law through deployment of specialized units, supported by the SANDF should the need arise for the SANDF to exercise their secondary role of supporting the SAPS;
Reactive approach through detection and case management; and the fifth approach; and
Awareness and information sharing led by the GCIS, IEC, the Natjoints and other government departments in keeping interest parties and communities at home and abroad updated through messaging that will enhance the safety and security of everyone in the country. The media will continuously be updated on a daily basis during the election period by the Natjoints.
Risk assessment
Working through the Operational Intelligence Co-ordination Committee (OICC), we have identified a number of high-risk voting stations and potentially volatile areas that are being monitored on an on-going basis. Deployments are subsequently proportional to the level of risk identified through intensified operations, informed by thorough analysis and intelligence-based reports.
Threats identified such as community protests are already being attended to and those that are found to be in contravention of the law are being dealt with. Our Public Order Policing Units are on the ground and are ready to prevent and combat any such incidents.
We are aware of social media posts calling for a shutdown by a group of truck drivers this week. As previously communicated, there will be zero tolerance towards threats, intimidation and closure of our roads. Law enforcement agencies are on high alert to ensure there are no criminal activities and that law abiding citizens are not inconvenienced. We call on the Road Freight Industry workers to communicate their grievances within the confines of the law.
We reiterate our stance, that no lawlessness and any form of criminality will be tolerated.
Ladies and gentlemen
We are in the first phase of the elections. To this end, the NATJOINTS is satisfied that from a security point of view, the securing of voter registrations, policing of gatherings, celebrations and demonstrations, intensifying stabilization at hotspot areas across the country, enhancing visibility and ensuring crime prevention around election related matters, has been executed with precision .
The second phase of the election which is the period from the 27th up until the announcement of the results, will see static deployments at voting stations, escorting of voter material and IEC staff, securing of election warehouses, transportation of voting material and the enforcement of the Electoral Act.
During the voting days, the role of law enforcement agencies is therefore to:
Maintain law and order
Providing escorts to voting stations and warehouses
Accompanying mobile voting stations
Ensure no firearms, and dangerous weapons are allowed at voting stations
Assist presiding officers by removing anyone who fails to comply with rules that infringe on the rights of voters within the voting station
Assist the presiding officer to ensure no political activity takes place within the boundaries of the voting station.
Assist the presiding officer to remove any person behaving in an inappropriate and undesirable manner from the voting station.
Ensuring that those who have been banned from the voting station (for any unbecoming behavior) do not attempt to enter the voting station.
Accompany the presiding officer to deliver ballot boxes and other election material to the counting station.
Ensuring the voting station and surroundings are secure by assisting presiding officers with monitoring the boundaries of the voting station.
Ensuring that no person either than voters or persons authorized to enter or remain are within the boundaries of the voting station.
Assisting to ensure safety and security at the voting station prevails until the counting and wrapping up procedures have been completed.
Assisting the presiding officer in enforcing the electoral code of conduct in respect of the following: Undue influence, Impersonation, Intentional false statements, Infringement of secrecy
Action has already been taken by those who have found themselves on the wrong side of the law.
During the first and second voter registration weekends, 50 cases were reported with 45 suspects arrested, with Gauteng reporting the most arrest with 11, followed by Limpopo with 9 arrests, followed by North West with 8 and Mpumalanga with 4.
A breakdown of the arrests per charges is as follows:
11 were arrested for public violence
10 were arrested for contravening the electoral act
9 were arrested for assault
2 were arrested for Malicious damage to property
While 13 were arrested for other cases.
During the period after voter registration weekend, 23 cases were reported.
Vandalism of posters
We take this opportunity to remind our communities that the constitution of our country provides that every citizen is free to make political choices, which includes the right to participate in the activities of, or recruit members for a political party and to campaign for a political party or cause.
With this said, we caution communities not to vandalise, deface and remove posters of political parties as this constitutes an offence. Anyone found to be tampering with these posters or vandalizing them will be arrested. Such cases have been reported and arrests have been made for example in Sasolburg in the Free State where a 64-year-old woman was seen in a video tampering with a poster. She was arrested and charged for contravention of the Electoral Act 73 of 1998 which prohibits the unlawful removal and defacing of posters published by a registered party. The woman has since been released on a warning. In Gauteng, a 70-year-old man who was also seen on a video illegally removing posters was also arrested. Investigations are continuing to trace those behind the removal of posters in areas where they have been reported.
Break-in at IEC offices
Police are investigating two cases of a break-in at the IEC offices in Houghton in Gauteng and in Caledon in the Western Cape. The Houghton case where a laptop has been stolen, the investigation is still underway. In Western Cape, seven suspects were arrested in Caledon after they broke into the IEC offices and stole a scanner and a projector. All seven suspects have appeared in court and were remanded in custody.
In relation to the third phase, which is the period after election results have been officially announced, plans are already in place to police celebrations and gatherings. Preparations for the inauguration of the President are also in full swing. These celebrations and gatherings will be policed through both the SASREA and gatherings act.
With this said, it is clear from our side that no lawlessness and any form of violence and criminality will be tolerated by law enforcement. The long arm of the law will not be selective nor will it be kind to those who attempt to disrupt the smooth running of elections.
We urge all South Africans from all walks of life to conduct themselves accordingly and to embrace their democratic rights.
We assure you all that maximum deployments and resources have been mobilised to ensure the successful execution of the operational plan.
Command and control measures are in place
The SAPS as the lead department will lead operations and will be supported by members of the Justice Crime, Prevention and Security Cluster such as the South African National Defence Force, Department of Home Affairs, the Metro Police Departments and other supporting departments.
Our main priority is to ensure a safe and secure election and that voters exercise their democratic right without being intimidated, harassed and threatened.
It’s important to highlight and assure communities that normal crime prevention and policing operations will continue during the duration of the elections.
On Social media disinformation
One of our biggest threats at the moment is fake news. We strongly condemn the spreading of fake news, unverified information, rumors or threats as this seeks to cause panic and confusion, and in some instances incite possible violence.
We urge members of the public to fact-check first before sharing anything on social media platforms. Those who are found to be sharing inflammatory messages and inciting violence will be charged accordingly. We, therefore, urge prompt reporting of these incidents to ensure that law enforcement deals with such issues. One person has already appeared in the Chatsworth magistrate court on a charge of contravening the Riotous Assemblies Act 17 of 1956, which prohibits gatherings that could endanger public peace. We are making a clarion call on political leaders to be responsible in the manner in which they communicate on public platforms.
We have noted an increase in the number of service delivery related protests.
To mitigate this, increased police visibility through the deployment of the public order policing unit has been made to potentially volatile areas to address large crowds.
We will continue to work closely with key role players to monitor developments and attend to them.
Law enforcement agencies are on the ground and will continue to apply fundamental policing principles, guided by the constitution of the Republic of South Africa. Every law enforcement officer has a responsibility and an obligation to execute their mandate, professionally, impartially and with integrity, and to do so within the confines of the laws of the country. Law enforcement officers are a-political and will enforce the law without fear or favour.
With this said, the message is clear, the NATJOINTS with the help of law abiding citizens is ready to ensure the safety and security of the 2024 General Elections.
Thank you.
International-Solidarity
Uniting for justice for ALL workers
16 May, 2024
As we approach the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, and Transphobia (IDAHOBIT), IndustriALL is taking the opportunity to put the spotlight on a valuable resource, published in January, created for unions to support LGBTI workers.
IDAHOBIT has been recognized since May 17, 2004. The day aims to raise awareness about the violence and discrimination experienced by LGBTQI+ people worldwide and to advocate for their rights.
The January 2024 launch of the LGBTQI+ worker toolkit by global unions is a key resource in this mission. This toolkit, aligned with ILO Convention 190, aims to combat workplace violence and harassment, providing union leaders and members with the necessary tools to promote inclusive and respectful environments.
The toolkit features two resources: the LGBTQI+ Facilitator Guide and the LGBTQI+ Participant Workbook. The Facilitator Guide is designed for educators and union leaders, offering modules and activities to deepen understanding and promote discussions on violence and harassment against LGBTQI+ individuals. The Participant Workbook provides union members, LGBTQI+ workers, and activists with practical strategies to create inclusive and respectful workplaces.
" We must look forward and strengthen our commitment to support all workers, especially those facing discrimination. Unions play a crucial role in creating workplaces where everyone can thrive. This toolkit is a powerful resource to help us achieve that goal, and while the 17 May is a great day to promote it, we must not stop here, every day is a good day to advocate for inclusivity,"
said Christine Olivier, IndustriALL assistant general secretary.
IDAHOBIT serves as a reminder of the importance of solidarity in a world full of conflict and inequality. It is critical to unite, resist, and challenge employers and governments, building strong movements for social and economic justice. On this day, IndustriALL renews its commitment to fight for the rights of all workers and urges affiliates to support the call to end workplace violence and discrimination, ensuring no comrade is left behind.
______________________________
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