Media Monitor 3 December 2009
Patrick Craven
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Contents
1.1 Workers may disrupt golf event
1.2 Striking workers threaten hotel?
1.3 Cosatu protest march threatens Golf Challenge at Sun City
1.4 Warders fired for taking prisoner to his home
1.5 Total may lay off 80 workers
1.6 Parliament to deal with labour brokers next year
2.2 YCL: Mbeki must take rap for Aids 'debacle'
2.3 Eskom tariff hike won’t help growth, says ANC
2.4 DA wants probe into 'missing' R50m party funds
2.5 ANC slams reports on Manto
2.7 Date set for ‘apartheid’ class action
3.1 Big numbers do not capture reality of losing a job
3.2 Brazilian lessons for left
1 Workers
1.1 Workers may disrupt golf event
IOL, 2 December 2009
More than a
thousand Sun City workers affiliated to Cosatu in the North West have vowed to
disrupt the Nedbank Challenge golf tournament to be held at the holiday resort
from Thursday, SABC radio reported.
This emerged during a meeting the workers held with Sun International
management late on Tuesday afternoon, the broadcaster said on Tuesday.
The workers are demanding the immediate termination of contracts of two
security companies, accusing them of racism, and the dismissal of a manager.
They intend to disrupt the Nedbank Challenge by blockading the main entrance to
the resort and stop any use of scab labour.
Sun International intends to apply for a court interdict to prevent the workers
from going ahead with their industrial action. - Sapa
http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=594&art_id=nw20091201221844543C658576
1.2 Striking workers threaten hotel?
IOL, 2 December 2009
Sun International is seeking an urgent interdict to prevent what
it considers to be an illegal strike by members affiliated to the Congress of
SA Trade Unions (Cosatu), the hotel group said on Wednesday.
"Sun International is seeking an urgent interdict to prevent what it
considers to be illegal strike action by staff of both Sun City and its various
service providers and concessionaires," it said in a statement.
The company said negotiations between itself and Cosatu had broken down.
Workers had threatened intend to disrupt the Nedbank Golf Challenge starting on
Thursday by blockading the main entrance to the resort and stop any use of scab
labour.
Sun International said it had put into place detailed contingency and security
plans, including the involvement of the SA police and additional security
backup, to ensure the safety of guests.
The company said it had held "lengthy negotiations" with Cosatu
starting on November 10 and intensifying over the past few days.
"The objective of these discussions was to reach a mutually acceptable
plan of action to avert the strike action that Cosatu has called at Sun City on
December 3."
The trade union federation has demanded the dismissal of certain senior
managers and an employee as well as the termination of the resort's two
security service providers.
Cosatu had also challenged the company on the use of casual labour at the
resort.
"While significant headway was made, which included agreement on a
thorough investigation of certain of the allegations by independent legal and
human resource consultants, we were unable to reach a compromise position.
"In particular Cosatu was insistent that we terminate our current security
contracts with the two service providers."
Sun International said Cosatu's actions were "irresponsible" given
the openness with which the company had entered negotiations and the plan of
action that was well developed.
Sun International management acknowledged certain incidents at Sun City had
occurred where individual employees had not been treated with the respect to
which they were entitled.
"Strong action has been taken against those responsible, including
disciplinary hearings resulting in several terminations and other
sanctions."
Cosatu had complained that a Falcon Security staffer played a racially
offensive CD at a staff function and that 24/7 staffers strip searched
employees accused of theft.
"We have also taken strong action against Falcon Security in respect of
the offensive music played by one of their employees at a recent family fun
day,' Sun International said.
Initial investigations and the recent incidents and allegations indicated that
some human resources practices at Sun City required improvement and it had
already taken steps to address this, the company said.
"Sun International prides itself as a progressive employer and rejects any
form of discrimination, racial or otherwise, against any of its employees,
concessionaires or service providers."
Notwithstanding the breakdown in negotiations and the intended strike action,
management would put into place some of the planned remedial actions, it said.
– Sapa
http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=594&art_id=nw20091202101644144C534641
1.3 Cosatu protest march threatens Golf Challenge at Sun City |
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Julius Baumann, Business Day, 3 December 2009 |
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SUN International said last night it had obtained an urgent court interdict to prevent a protest march by an expected 7000 workers belonging to the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) at Sun City, which threatened to disrupt the start of the Nedbank Golf Challenge today.
This comes after talks between Sun International management and Cosatu collapsed on Tuesday over how to address several allegedly racist incidents at the resort in the past few months. Anger among workers flared in late October when Falcon Security Company CEO Ben Burger played a racist song at a company function at Sun City. In the latest incident, workers were strip- searched by 247 Security.
Cosatu has demanded the dismissal of certain senior managers and an employee as well as the termination of the resort’s two security service providers after the incidents .
“Cosatu’s demand is very clear: the operations manager and the racist security companies, Falcon and 247, must go now,” the labour federation said in a media release yesterday.
The parties have been in negotiations since early last month but were not able to resolve their dispute in time to prevent today’s planned action. “While significant headway was made, which included agreement on a thorough investigation of certain of the allegations by independent legal and human resource consultants, we were unable to reach a compromise position,” Sun International spokeswoman Tamra Veley said.
“Sun International management acknowledges certain incidents at Sun City have occurred where individual employees have not been treated with the respect to which they are entitled. Strong action has been taken against those responsible, including disciplinary hearings resulting in several terminations and other sanctions.”
Veley also said that it was Sun International that first took action against the Falcon Security chief.
Cosatu provincial secretary Solly Phetoe said Cosatu was willing to return to the negotiation table but would press ahead with today’s protest march to the main entrance to the resort.
He also questioned the impartiality of certain provincial gambling board officials whom he said had sided with Sun International.
Sun International has put in place contingency plans — including support from the South African Police Service — to ensure the safety and security of guests
http://www.businessday.co.za/articles/Content.aspx?id=88665
1.4 Warders fired for taking prisoner to his home
Cecil Motsepe, Sowetan, 3 December 2009
SOCCER legend turned prison warder Andries “Chaka Chaka” Mpondo is set to face a bleak Christmas after he was this week dismissed by the Department of Correctional Services.
Sowetan reported in August that the former Moroka Swallows midfielder and a colleague, Godfrey Ntshenkong, faced disciplinary hearings after they drove a convicted criminal to his home for coffee instead of taking him back to his cell after a court appearance.
Christopher “Gielie” Willemse, who is doing time in Krugersdorp Prison for assault, had gone to testify in the Johannesburg magistrate’s court.
The two warders took him to court from prison. But instead of returning him to prison they drove to Willemse’s home in Claremont, west of Johannesburg.
Once there they allegedly allowed Willemse, who is also on trial facing murder and drug charges, to relax with his family while they drank coffee.
Top cop Piet Byleveld, who had tailed them from court, arrested them on the spot.
Though charges were later dropped the department proceeded with disciplinary action and dismissed them on Tuesday.
The downhearted Mpondo declined to comment.
Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (Popcru) said it was looking into the matter. This after the department failed to suspend a senior manager after prisoners managed to get hold of his gun.
Nduduzo Buthelezi had asked prisoners to wash his car with his gun in the cubbyhole. The prisoners got hold of his gun but decided to hand it over to management.
“Without comparing the two cases, there is nothing more serious than having a senior personnel’s gun in the hands of inmates It warranted immediate suspension and investigation. He also contravened the rules of handling a firearm. He put so many lives in danger,” said Popcru’s Simon Madini.
The department’s spokesperson, Simphiwe Kondleka’s cellphone was off despite his earlier promise to comment.
http://www.sowetan.co.za/News/Article.aspx?id=1093889
PETROLEUM company Total SA is considering laying off about 10%, or 80, of its employees as part of its restructuring programme. The move lays bare the vulnerability of so-called established sectors to the difficult business conditions, and comes less than a month after telecommunications giant MTN also announced its plans to reduce its workforce. Total SA has a network of 530 service stations across SA. It said yesterday that, like other petroleum industry players, it was experiencing “major business challenges” that have prompted it to embark on a business improvement and restructuring programme. “The need to restructure arises from various factors such as the market in which the company operates, competition, increases in costs and declining profits.” It said it was offering a number of options to employees who might be affected, including severance pay, voluntary retrenchment and early retirement. It said it would offer “an assistance allowance” to employees who did not apply for voluntary retrenchment or early retirement. http://www.businessday.co.za/articles/Content.aspx?id=88700
1.6 Parliament to deal with labour brokers next year |
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Linda Ensor, Business Day, 3 December 2009 |
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The Department of Labour had begun drafting legislation governing the activities of labour brokers which would be tabled in Parliament next year, Labour Minister Membathisi Mdladlana said yesterday.
The minister has long held the view that employees under the control of labour brokers are exploited and has vowed to take action against them. The contentious issue has already been discussed by National Economic Development and Labour Council (Nedlac), where the trade unions demanded an outright ban and business sought ways to regulate the matters of concern to the government. Parliament’s labour portfolio committee has also been holding public hearings on labour broking.
Nedlac director Herbert Mkhize said he awaited the submission by the government of either an official policy document or a draft bill.
Replying to a question in Parliament by Democratic Alliance MP Pierre Rabie, Mdladlana said labour brokers acted as intermediaries between the client and a company “for the purpose of lowering labour costs, reducing protection afforded to employees by labour legislation, transferring employee risks to the labour broker and evading labour legislation without liability”.
“The conditions of employment for workers who are not in permanent employment are considerably worse than the conditions experienced by those in steady employment and workers under labour brokers are subjected to exploitation.
“We intend to promulgate legislation that will address the problem of labour broking. My department and the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration have received complaints from employees exploited by labour brokers.”
He said the department also intended to introduce amendments to the Basic Conditions of Employment Act, the Employment Equity Act and the Labour Relations Act.
http://www.businessday.co.za/articles/Content.aspx?id=88672
2 South Africa
2.1 SAMA commends Zuma
IOL, 2 December 2009
The SA Medical Association (Sama) on Wednesday endorsed President
Jacob Zuma's HIV/Aids strategy.
"Sama commends President Jacob Zuma on his bold announcement of the change
in HIV policy and management," the organisation said in a statement.
"Sama has always held the view that our approach to Aids management must
change if we were to make progress."
On Tuesday, Zuma outlined changes to the country's HIV policy, including
treating all HIV-positive children under the age of one. In addition all people
with both TB and HIV would receive treatment if their CD4 count was 350 or
lower. The CD4 count threshold was previously set at 200. CD4 count is used as
an indicator of how sick a person with HIV is.
"Whilst more people will receive treatment, we hope fewer and fewer will become infected. Aids needs a multi-pronged approach, the most effective being minimising the risk by changing behaviour and practising safe sex," read the statement. – Sapa
http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=6&art_id=nw20091202141819461C415258
2.2 YCL: Mbeki must take rap for Aids 'debacle'
Mail & Guardian, 2 December 2009
Former president
Thabo Mbeki should be held accountable for his role in the HIV/Aids pandemic,
the Young Communist League of South Africa (YCLSA) said on Wednesday.
Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi recently released shocking statistics of the
Aids pandemic in South Africa.
"The call to hold our former head of state Thabo Mbeki accountable for his
role in this debacle cannot be reduced to a popularity contest," the
league said in a statement.
"Neither should it be classified as vindictive prosecution by the
government. It should be a lesson that one must take responsibility for one's
actions.
"It should also be used as a sign that we are turning the tide and
strengthening our war against HIV/Aids," the YCLSA said.
Motsoaledi conceded South Africa was in this "catastrophe because of our
attitude towards HIV/Aids".
"Mbeki denied pregnant mothers antiretroviral drugs, which could have
prolonged their lives and reduced mother-to-child transmission. Mbeki cast
doubt on the [scientifically established] link between HIV and Aids.
"He made a mockery of our country and failed to provide sound political
guidance to a nation in distress.
"Perhaps most bizarre were his questioning of statistics collected from
hospitals and clinics, and his assertion that he 'did not know anyone who had
died of Aids'," the league said.
His attitude inhibited South Africa's war on HIV/Aids and did not assist the
situation or challenge the youth, who were the most affected, to change their
behaviour, attitudes and lifestyle to prevent HIV infection.
According to the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/Aids, in 2005 more than
5,5-million adults, 18,8% of the adult populations of South Africa, were
infected with HIV/Aids.
"As the government intensifies the war on HIV/Aids, we need to show that
we are prepared to break with the policy of denial and fairytale theories about
the treatment and causality of Aids. To do so, we have to take action and
encourage people to take responsibility for their decisions."
The YCLSA said the option of setting up a state-led judicial commission with
prosecutorial powers to determine whether Mbeki "is guilty of mass
killing" should be explored.
Another option was convening a commission on HIV/Aids similar to the Truth and
Reconciliation Commission "through which victims and perpetrators will
receive their respective justice through forgiveness and remorse". –
Sapa
http://www.mg.co.za/article/2009-12-02-ycl-mbeki-must-take-rap-for-aids-debacle
2.3 Eskom tariff hike won’t help growth, says ANC
Techcentral/SAPA, 2 December 2009
Electricity parastatal Eskom’s revised tariff increase proposal will not help growth in the country, the ANC said on Wednesday.
The party was “concerned” about the effect Eskom’s revised 35% tariff increase proposal for a three year period, would have on the majority of South Africans who would find it “hard to afford”.
“We see the Eskom proposal to the National Energy Regulator of SA (Nersa) not assisting SA’s economic growth, especially its recovery from the recent economic recession,” the ANC said in a statement.
The party was of the view that many South Africans — the majority poor and unemployed — had not fully recovered from the effects of global recession.
“Taking this into account, the ANC will be making its own submission to Nersa which will not only cover the multi-year pricing index but also a holistic and comprehensive approach to sustainable energy provisioning in the country.”
The ANC repeated its call for a comprehensive approach to energy provisioning and sustainability in the country. “This approach should include, among others, how we recapitalise our energy industry without burdening the South African consumer. We also believe that such a comprehensive approach should cover other available options for a future energy-funding model.”
Exploring other energy sources such as green energy should be examined in addressing the country’s energy problems.
On Tuesday Eskom acting chairman Mpho Makwana said the utility had lowered its request for an increase in tariffs to 35% over the next three years, down from 45%, to help fund the utility’s R385bn expansion programme. — Sapa
http://www.techcentral.co.za/eskom-tariff-hike-wont-help-growth-says-anc/11655/
2.4 DA wants probe into 'missing' R50m party funds
Nkululeko Ncana, Times, 2 December 2009
The DA has called for an investigation by the National Assembly into the alleged misappropriation by ANC MPs of R50-million allocated to the party by Parliament.
In a letter to the secretary of Parliament, Zingile Dingani, DA chief whip Ian Davidson asked whether the ANC had submitted its audited financial statements to Parliament. If it had, and it emerged that there had been inappropriate spending of the allocation, then the issue should be taken up by Parliament's oversight authority, Davidson said.
The DA's request to Parliament comes after the Sunday Times reported that the ANC has launched an investigation into the misappropriation of parliamentary allowances by MPs. It is alleged that allowances were misused to buy luxury houses and pay for expensive hotel accommodation.
The Sunday Times reported that the ANC had received an explosive forensic report - commissioned by party treasurer-general Mathews Phosa - that it believed implicates some of its top parliamentarians, including its former chief whip, Nyami Booi.
Phosa commissioned the investigation after the party's caucus in Parliament failed to account to the legislature on how it had used the money allocated to it.
But the DA is arguing that, if the allegations in the report are true, then the issue should not be dismissed as an internal ANC matter but be treated as a national issue because it involves taxpayers' money.
ANC parliamentary spokesman Luzuko Jacobs said yesterday that the party had submitted its audited financial statements to Parliament and referred questions about the misappropriation of funds to the ANC parliamentary office.
ANC caucus spokesman Moloto Mothapo said the party had "accounted for every cent or we would not get the funding required".
He said that the chief whip's office could not comment on the report because it was "not conducted at the level of caucus".
"We are not sweeping anything under the carpet. The only challenge we are faced with is with regard to the reduced party funding, which has resulted in the ANC putting in place cost-cutting measures such as the reduction of staff," he said.
Parliament pays millions of rands each year to political parties. The Constitution requires that Parliament provide for "financial assistance to each party represented in the Assembly in proportion to its representation, to enable the party and its leader to perform their functions in the Assembly effectively".
"The draft party allowance policy prescribes that parties must submit audited annual financial statements to Parliament," Davidson said.
http://www.timeslive.co.za/thetimes/article218060.ece
2.5 ANC slams reports on Manto
Zukile Majova, Sowetan, 3 December 2009
THE ANC has lashed out at the media for its “uncultured and inhumane” reporting on the hospitalisation of former health minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang.
A weekend newspaper reported that Tshabalala-Msimang, who underwent a liver transplant in 2007, was back in hospital with surgery complications.
ANC spokesperson Jackson Mthembu said the party was “outraged that society and watchdogs like the press ombudsman remained quiet in the face of this blatant violation and abuse of comrade Manto’s rights in the name of investigative journalism”.
“The ANC calls on the press ombudsman and other organs charged with monitoring human rights violations to investigate the conduct of the newspaper .
“Such investigation will bring closure to this uncultured and inhumane behaviour by some sections of the media.”
http://www.sowetan.co.za/News/Article.aspx?id=1093893
2.6 Malema sparks food fight
Quinton Mtyala, Cape Times, 3 December 2009
Opposition
parties are demanding an investigation into allegations that ANC Youth League
president Julius Malema misused food parcels paid for by taxpayers at an event
to promote the ANC among impoverished coloured people.
Malema also handed a R100 000 statutory South African
Social Security Agency (Sassa) grant to Rosie Claasen, a leading member of the
ANC who runs a soup kitchen and a home for orphans.
The parties also want an investigation into civil
servant Paseka Letsasi, a senior executive of Sassa, which paid for the food
parcels, who was also a member of the youth league's national executive
committee and accompanied Malema on a visit to Heinz Park in Philippi.
The two, and
Sassa regional executive manager Waldi Terreblanche, handed out parcels against
a backdrop of ANCYL posters alongside those of Sassa, which distributes state
social grants and relief to the poor.
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This is the second major row in months implicating Sassa and the ANC |
This is the second major row in months
implicating Sassa and the ANC.
In
May it emerged that Sassa's now suspended chief executive, Feziwe Makiwane, had
authorised the release to a KwaZulu-Natal businessman of R2.5 million that was
used to fund a lavish party for Jacob Zuma at his birthplace in KwaNxamalala.
An additional R1.8m was also released for food parcels.
Investigations
by both the Public Protector and the Special Investigative Unit have not yet
been concluded.
Inkatha
Freedom Party spokesman Musa Zondi said dishing out food parcels was not a new
tactic used by the ruling party to garner support.
"They
won the elections in KZN using government resources to give people food
parcels. It is in the culture of corruption of the ANC which should be
condemned," said Zondi.
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'I cannot neglect my responsibilities' |
But Letsasi, also a spokesperson for
Sassa, said he saw nothing wrong with his involvement and that of Sassa at the
event, at which more than 200 people turned up after being promised food
parcels, only to leave empty-handed.
Instead
the food parcels were handed out by Malema to residents and to two NGOs, one
operated by Claasen.
Asked
why the ANCYL had been roped into the event, Letsasi said he viewed the league
as an NGO, involved in the social upliftment of impoverished communities.
But
spokesman for the ANCYL, Floyd Shivambu, dismissed Letsasi's claim that the
organisation was an NGO, reiterating that it was a political organisation that
also involved itself in social and poverty alleviation programmes.
"There's
nothing wrong with (the ANCYL) doing development work. If people want to
eventually decide that they want to vote for the ANC it will be because the
party is doing good work," said Shivambu.
Malema,
asked about the ANCYL's presence in the area, said the ANC had to regain a
footing in coloured communities and among the poor.
But
he reiterated the promise of food parcels was not a trick to gain future votes
there.
"There's
no election campaign, we are coming here to interact and recognise the good
work being doing by community organisations," said Malema.
At
Tuesday's event Malema, addressing around 200 Heinz Park residents lashed
Premier Helen Zille, saying coloureds in the province had made a mistake voting
the DA into power.
Letsasi
said Sassa had also been of assistance to other organisations which sought help
with poverty alleviation but couldn't recall whether these had been politically
affiliated.
"It
is the (ANC) Youth League which approached us to help out with food parcels.
The Youth League is an NGO, anyone who comes to us, asking for assistance we'll
assess their need and try to help them," said Letsasi.
He
said his membership of the ANC Youth League had no bearing on Sassa's support
for Tuesday's event. "If people think like that, then tough luck to them.
I cannot neglect my responsibilities because I'm a member of the ANCYL
executive," said Letsasi.
In
response to attacks made on her by Malema, Zille said the event in Heinz Park
was further evidence the lines between party and state had been blurred by the
ANC.
"This
whole situation is a consequence of the collapse between the party and the
state. People involved in dispensing state resources should not mix this with
party politics.
"We
will be asking parliamentary questions about whether this matter has been
investigated properly, and what the outcomes were," said Zille.
The
DA would also be asking whether food paid for by the state was ever used to
attract people to party political events, or is distributed at such events.
Cope
spokesperson Phillip Dexter said his party would also be calling for an
investigation.
http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=3102&art_id=vn20091203041634351C350834
2.7 Date set for ‘apartheid’ class action
Asa Sokopo, Daily Dispatch, 3 December 2009
THOUSANDS in the Eastern Cape have come forward as complainants in a multi-billion dollar class action lawsuit against some of South Africa’s top international firms.
The firms, which include Mercedes- Benz (Daimler), IBM, General Motors and Ford, will be taken to task for their alleged role in aiding the apartheid regime.
Ten thousand people in the Eastern Cape and thousands more around the country have cleared their final hurdle in one of the biggest lawsuits involving South Africans.
The case will be heard before a United States court on January 6.
The US government called on Tuesday for the dismissal of an appeal by the firms.
Lead attorney John Ngcebetsha, of Ngcebetsha Madlanga attorneys, told the Daily Dispatch that this followed a recent letter written by Justice Minister Jeff Radebe for the cases to be settled out of court.
In April, a landmark ruling in a US court gave advocate Dumisa Ntsebeza and his legal team the right to sue multinational corporations that knowingly “aided and abetted” the apartheid government.
Mercedes-Benz SA (BMSA) is accused of supplying apartheid forces with armoured Unimog military vehicles used to suppress public meetings and marches in the country. GM and Ford are also accused of “aiding and abetting torture … extrajudicial killing and apartheid”. IBM is accused of providing technology used by the apartheid regime in displacing South Africans to Bantustans.
While Ngcebetsha said it was impossible to give an exact figure on the lawsuit, it is expected to be billions of dollars.
Ngcebetsha said Cosatu general- secretary Zwelinzima Vavi had “submitted a memorandum to court in support of the actions”.
The South African Council of Churches had also shown their support through general secretary Eddie Makue . He sent a letter to the lawyers of the victims asking them to ensure that justice was served.
MBSA spokesperson Madelaine van Wyk said they never co-operated with security forces for the perpetuation of apartheid. “At numerous times Daimler’s management publicly expressed its opposition to apartheid, including the head of MBSA at that time, Jürgen Schrempp, in the immediate presence of representatives of the apartheid regime. In 1999, Nelson Mandela awarded Mr Schrempp South Africa’s highest civilian medal, the Order of Good Hope, in recognition of his involvement in South Africa.”
The class action lawsuit was brought in 2001 by Ntsebeza, with University of Cape Town sociology professor Lungisile Ntsebeza as lead plaintiff, under America’s Alien Tort Statute, which allows foreigners to bring human rights claims in American courts.
Claims were initially dismissed in 2004 by US district judge John Sprizzo but the suit was reinstated on April 8 by Southern District of New York judge Shira Scheindlin.
http://www.dispatch.co.za/article.aspx?id=364225
3 International
3.1 Big numbers do not capture reality of losing a job
Business Report, 3 December 2009
The International Labour Organisation's website has a running
tally of job losses. Across the screen, in ticker tape style, global job cuts
include AOL 2 500, KLM 1 700, Peugeot Citroën 6 000, Lloyds 5 000, Sun
Microsystems 3 000, GM/Opel 9 000, Johnson & Johnson 8 000, Sberbank 67
000. In South Africa the year's toll stands at 959 000, according to the latest
official tally.
These numbers shock, but they don't tell the full story of how being without
work and an income impacts on each person who is unemployed and their families.
Research published last year by Herman Strydom and Alida Herbst focused on a
small community that was deeply affected by the liquidation a few years ago of
the Stilfontein gold mine, which at the time was owned by DRDGold.
The usual reactions from those recently retrenched are anger and depression,
which were prevalent in this survey.
For anyone suddenly left without an income, besides the panic, it can be a
source of great shame not to be able to provide for yourself or your family.
Many of the miners had been with the company for most of their working lives
and their skills were learnt on the job and specific to the industry, leaving
them ill-equipped to find work elsewhere.
The research also showed that stress at home over making ends meet filtered
down to children, who responded with aggression, fighting and emotional
withdrawal.
It shows that the true effect of being retrenched and a jobs crisis cannot be
measured in a number, no matter how big it is.
http://www.busrep.co.za/index.php?fSectionId=553&fArticleId=5271457
3.2 Brazilian lessons for left
George Angelos, Northcliff, letter to Business Day, 2 December 2009
Lately we have been bombarded by statements from Cosatu and the South African Communist Party about “restructuring and re-engineering” the economy. They imply that current fiscal and monetary policies have failed and point to the loss of jobs and creeping poverty in the country.
Part of the “restructuring” agenda has been to:
§ Demote or redeploy Minister in the Presidency Trevor Manuel from his planning position (failed).
§ Nationalise the mines.
§ Pressure the Reserve Bank to abandon its prudent policies by, inter alia, abandoning inflation targeting.
§ Generally try to drive the economy on to a socialist/communist path.
The Economist magazine dated November 14 - 20 has an in-depth analysis of Brazil and its economy. Brazil followed precisely the policies now advocated by Cosatu and the SACP.
What was the result? Massive inflation and virtually zero growth. Between 1990 and 1995, inflation averaged 764% a year.
Quoting from the article: “Then a real miracle happened. In 1994, a team of economists under (Fernando Cardoso), then the finance minister, introduced a new currency, the real, which succeeded where previous attempts had failed.
“In 1999, the exchange rate peg was abandoned and the currency allowed to float, and the central bank was told to target inflation. More than that, the reforms brought discipline to the government’s finances. Both federal and state governments now have to live within their means. At last, in 2006, GDP outpaced inflation for the first time in over 50 years.”
These are precisely the policies the monetary authorities are following in SA! The question has to be asked, had we followed the Cosatu-SACP model in the last 10 years, where would we be today with jobs and poverty?
It may be prudent for Cosatu-SACP to take a leaf out of the Brazilian experience and rethink the direction in which they want to take the country.
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