Power Grid Recolonisation [2]

HRC Press invites you to the Cape Town launch of Electric Capitalism, Recolonising Africa on the Power Grid, edited by David A McDonald. Refreshments will be served. All HSRC books are downloadable free from their web site. Details of the launch are:

• Date: 22 October 2008 (Wednesday)
• Time: 17h30 for 18h00
• Venue: Community House, 41 Salt River Road, Salt River, Cape Town
• Speakers: David A McDonald, Liz McDaid, Greg Ruiters, Wendy Annecke, David Fig, Roger Ronnie.

Power Grid Recolonisation [1]

HRC Press invites you to the Johannesburg launch of Electric Capitalism, Recolonising Africa on the Power Grid, edited by David A McDonald. Refreshments will be served. All HSRC books are downloadable free from their web site. Details of the launch are:

• Date: 16 October 2008 (Thursday)
• Time: 18h00 for 18h30
• Venue: Women’s Jail Atrium, Constitution Hill, Braamfontein, Johannesburg (Parking available in Super-Basement by prior arrangement)
• Speakers: David A McDonald, Stephen Greenberg, Richard Worthington, Jackie Dugard, Terri Hathaway, Dinga Sikwebu.

No alternative to the ANC

Jacob Zuma has written in a President’s letter in ANC Today: “When we approach [the] elections we must approach them as a united and solid force with a determination to deliver an overwhelming democratic victory for the ANC.” Full text in next COSATU Today.

Justice for Eudy Simelane

Eudy Simelane, woman, lesbian and national Banyana Banyana soccer player, was gang raped and killed in her home, KwaThema, on 28 April 2008. On 7 October 2008 the Springs Magistrate Court resumes the case. Join Campaign 07-07-07 in a picket there, details as follows:

• Date: 7 October 2008
• Time: Please phone 011 487 3811
• Venue: Opposite Home Affairs, close to Springs railway station

ANC taps Paul Mashatile

The ANC's national leadership has decided to recommend to the ANC in Gauteng that Paul Mashatile be elected premier of the province. Mashatile is the ANC Gauteng provincial chairperson.

New Political Party

The ANC takes notes of the reports in the media on the imminent formation of a new party. These reports have no face to them. Our constitution guarantees the freedom of association. The ANC will not be distracted.

Mbhazima Shilowa’s utterances

We expect Comrade Mbhazima to observe discipline, behave honestly and carry out loyally the decisions of the majority and of higher bodies. This is what he used to preach and enforce when he was the chairperson of our province. Now he questions the NEC. – ANC Gauteng

Zimbabwe and Swaziland

COSATU, with unions and progressive organisations of civil society from South Africa, Zimbabwe and Swaziland, have met to review the on-going solidarity campaign with the people of Zimbabwe and Swaziland. Details of their deliberations will be in the next COSATU Today.

Southern African Social Forum

COSATU invites you to a preparatory public forum on the SASF scheduled for 16-18 October 2008 in Swaziland. All are welcome to attend the preparatory forum. Details are as follows:

• Date: 7 October 2008
• Time: 11h30
• Venue: COSATU House

Response to Terror

The ANC Youth League noted the open letter by former ANC National Chairperson, Mr. Terror Lekota. Childish, mediocre, and ill-disciplined individuals will not divert the ANC's dedication towards the 2009 General Elections and its strategic objectives as contained in the Freedom Charter.

Struggle for re-recognition

SACCAWU and COSATU gave a background on protected strike of 5000 workers at Woolworths and reasons for call of a consumer boycott. Company unilaterally de-recognised the union in 1999 and has obstructed all channels of negotiation since that time. Strike and boycott continue.

March on Phambilinombane

SACP Brian Bunting District (Cape Town) will lead a march against poor supply of electricity by Phambilinombane Energy Services. Details:

• Date: 4 October 2008 (Saturday)
• Time: 13h00
• Route: From the Circle of Spine Road Khayelitsha to Site B Police Station

Mineworkers march on Chamber

Tens of thousands of mineworkers will march to the Chamber of Mines offices in Johannesburg to lament the zero levels of transformation and high levels of racism in the mining and construction sectors. The workers will assemble at 10h00 in Beyers Naude Square (Library Gardens). - NUM

FAWU veterans’ birthdays

The Food and Allied Workers' Union will be celebrating the birthdays of comrades Elizabeth Mafikeng and Liz Abrahams on Friday, 3 October at 14h00 at the Mbekweni Community Hall in Paarl, Cape Town.

SASF 2008, Manzini, Swaziland

The Southern Africa Social Forum 2008 will take place at Mavuso International Trade Fair, Manzini, Swaziland on the 16-18th October, 2008. The theme and focus of deliberations for the SASF 2008 will be “People’s Solidarity Against Poverty and Oppression”.

Woolworths solidarity march

COSATU calls upon workers and public to join a SACCAWU-organised march to the offices of BUSA in support of the strike for union recognition by Woolworths workers. Details:

• Date: 3 October 2008 (Friday)
• Time: 11h00
• Assembly: Innisfree Park, Katherine Street, Sandton
• March: Along Katherine, Grayston, Rivonia and Fredman Streets, to arrive at the BUSA Offices at 3 Gwen Lane, Sandton, at 13h00.

Green Point Video

There will be a Green Point (Cape Town 2010 Football Stadium) lunchtime Construction Workers’ Mass Meeting and Video Screening as follows:

• Date: 7 October 2008 (Tuesday)
• Time: 13h00-14h00
• Venue: Green Point Stadium Visitors’ Centre

Protest against US warship

The AntiWar Coalition and Earthlife Africa call for mass demonstration for Saturday 4th October at 10h00 at Cape Town Harbour against the presence of the Weapon of Mass Destruction USS Theodore Roosevelt that is expected to arrive in Table Bay this weekend.

NPA’s OSD failure

NEHAWU is very disturbed by the failure of the National Prosecuting Authority to meet the implementation deadline of the Occupation Specific Dispensation (OSD) pay increase and regard this action as a sign that the organisation has total disregard for the laws of the country.

NUM in dispute with Pamodzi

NUM has this morning declared a wage dispute with Pamodzi Gold‘s East Rand Operations, one step before strike action. NUM tabled a demand of 12%. Employees are on two rates of pay and the employer is recalcitrant about implementing its equalization promises given many months ago.

Who is Uncle Dan Tloome?

SACP National Chairperson Gwede Mantashe delivered the Dan Tloome Memorial Lecture in Ikageng (Potchefstroom). Dan Tloome was a founder member of the Council of Non-European Trade Unions in 1941 and its first Vice-President, and much more. See next COSATU Today.

NEHAWU condemns racism

NEHAWU reacts with disgust and anger to the reports of workers who were spray painted by their white colleague at Judges Refurbishments in Selby, Johannesburg.

SASOL profit-maximising mafia

SASOL was publicly owned over many decades. SASOL’s profit-maximising bosses now choke off industrial development, slow job creation, and hit us in the pocket. SASOL must be re-nationalised. We cannot allow it to be in the hands of, to use the EU’s term, a profit-maximising “mafia”. - SACP

Murderers of Chris Hani

ANC Youth League notes the Correctional Services Parole Board’s intention to consider parole of Clive Derby-Lewis, one of the murderers Chris Hani on the 10th of September 1993. The ANC YL rejects and will oppose any attempt to grant parole to Clive Derby-Lewis.

COSATU backs Mashatile

COSATU-affiliated unions’ chairpersons and secretaries in Gauteng Province met and decided to support the deployment of Comrade Paul Mashatile, the ANC Gauteng provincial Chairperson, to the post of Gauteng Provincial Premier.

Action against municipalities

COSATU in the North West supports the demonstrations, marches and picketing against municipalities in the North West that continue to undermine the working class and its trade union, SAMWU. On 24 October 2008 all municipalities in the province will be embarking on a secondary strike.

Pension fund war at Eskom

NUM objects to Eskom‘s proposal to convert its retirement fund from a Defined Benefit (Pension fund) to a Defined Contribution (Provident Fund). Eskom has failed its workers, it has failed the nation, and now it wants to fail pensioners with underhand activities, says NUM.

More mineworkers killed

3000 mineworkers downed tools at Anglogold’s Savuka mine today after death of workers a week ago. Reports of deaths continue to arrive, at Tautona, Townlands and Elandsrand mines. NUM urges DME to release its safety audit report and to take action against killer companies.

Chombo threatens Mutare mayor

Zvimba North MP Ignatius Chombo, a legendary enemy of democracy, has once again threatened the elected mayor of Mutare, His Worship Brian James, for refusing to install losing Zanu PF stalwarts as special interest councillors. We cannot allow democracy to be subverted at this stage. - MDC

YCL Opposes Parole

YCL notes with disgust the Parole Board’s intention to consider granting Cde Chris Hani's assassins Clive Derby-Lewis and Janusz Walus, parole. We strongly believe that the two must rot in jail until they fully disclose on the circumstances and the co-conspirators of Hani`s assassination.

Angie Motshekga for Premier!

As the GAuteng YCL, we firmly believe that Cde Angie Motshekga is the most suitable candidate for Gauteng Premier given her solid political standing and working class biasness. Our support for Cde Motshekga rests on principles and not on narrow factional interests.

Build Street Committees

The SACP will hold a public consultative conference on the 2008 Red October Campaign. The theme this year is "Build Street Committees, Build People's Power for a Revolutionary State". Details are as follows:

• Date: 2 October 2008
• Time: 10h00 – 13h30
• Venue: 10th Floor COSATU House, Braamfontein

Solidarity with Bolivia

COSATU supports the call on world working class organisations to express immediate solidarity with the people of Bolivia, who democratically elected Evo Morales as the country’s President. The U.S. government has launched slanderous, dirty and illegal attacks against Bolivia.

Financial Crisis and SA

The SACP's new Umsebenzi Online is devoted to an article by Rob Davies, Member of the SACP Central Committee and Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, on “The Current Global Financial Crisis and its Implications for South Africa”.

New value added services?

The Department of Labour’s Director of Collective Bargaining will be the keynote guest speaker at the AGM of the Clothing Industry Bargaining Council on the topic: “New value added services which bargaining councils can render to industry, other than collective bargaining”. Details are as follows:

• Date: 2 October 2008
• Time: 11h00 – 13h00
• Venue: 8th Floor, Industria House, Salt River, Cape Town

- SACTWU

Resignation of Mbhazima Shilowa

YCL in Gauteng Province welcomes the resignation of the former Premier Mr Mbhazima Shilowa. We recall that Shilowa was chief among the supporters of the corporatizing Igoli 2002 Plan and other anti-working-class projects such as Blue IQ, Gautrain and the rise of private education.

SACCAWU-led Woolworths Strike

The YCL will join forces with the striking Woolworths workers led by SACCAWU. Woolworths workers are the YCL's business. It is mostly young working class women that are employed and super-exploited in the retail sector.

DCS Derby Lewis games

An e-mail has been sent to Cde Limpho Hani, widow of our slain former General Secretary, Cde Chris Hani, suggesting parole for one of the murderers. The SACP is outraged by this serious act of provocation not only to the Hani family, but to the SACP, the Alliance and the overwhelming majority of the people of South Africa.

Change of Venue

POPCRU’s march to the offices of the Gauteng MEC for Community Safety and Liaison (Mr Firoz Cachalia) to submit a memorandum will now take place as follows:

• Date: 2 October 2008
• Time: 09h00
• Venue: Workers’ Library, Bree Street, Newtown, Johannesburg

Shilowa, go now!

COSATU Gauteng Province reflected on the resignation of the Premier at an emergency meeting of affiliates’ chairpersons and secretaries. We welcome Mbhazima Shilowa’s resignation. We call on him to vacate the position immediately, not at the end of October. We cannot trust him. He is ill-disciplined.

Tloome Memorial Lecture

The National Chairperson of the SACP, Cde Gwede Mantashe, will address a memorial lecture in honor of the late National Chairperson of the SACP, Cde Dan Tloome. Details as follows:

• Date: 1 October 2008
• Time: 16h30
• Venue: Sarafina Community Hall, Ikageng (Potchefstroom), North West Province

COSATU DGS to address FAWU NEC

Comrade Bheki Ntshalitshali, Deputy General Secretary of the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) will address FAWU's National Executive Council (NEC) today, about the current political situation of South Africa.

Transform or perish

The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) is angry at both Angloplatinum and DRDGold‘s Blyvoor mine for championing racism at workplaces in the new democratic order. Two recent incidents show that the industry not only refuses to transform, but also defends racism at all costs.

Eid Mubarak greetings

COSATU Western Cape Province extends greetings to all the Muslim communities who will be celebrating EID tomorrow.

Organise, Fight or Starve!

YCL notes that in the absence of union recognition, Woolworths workers have been subjected to low wages, discriminatory work conditions, lack of skills training, low job mobility, job insecurity and super-exploitation; and reaffirms its full support for Woolworth's workers strike led by SACCAWU.

SACP supports SACCAWU at Woolworths

Casualisation and meagre wages continues to be the order of the day at Woolworths. Their management has continued to abuse our legal system. SACP calls on all South Africans to boycott Woolworths and come out on the National Day of Action on 3 October 2008.

Perumal Naidoo: Resign!

POPCRU Gauteng will march to the offices of the MEC for Community Safety and Liaison, Mr Firoz Cachalia to submit a memorandum raising a wide range of concerns. Details:

• Date: 2 October 2008
• Time: 09h00
• Venue (changed!): Workers' Library, Bree Street, Johannesburg

Morgan Tsvangirai and ZCTU

Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions General Council met with Mr Morgan Tsvangirai on 27 September 2008. There were some differences. Some issues would be subject to further discussion. ZCTU views the agreement between the MDC and Zanu PF as a temporary structure.

ZCTU ultimatum to RBZ

ZCTU General Council gave the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe an ultimatum to address the current deepening cash crisis. Mass Action has now been deferred while we assess the RBZ move to increase the daily maximum withdrawal from Z$1 000 to Z$20 000.

Shilowa resignation welcome

NEHAWU welcomes the resignation of Gauteng Premier Mbhazima Shilowa. He was an embarrassment to workers. His conduct in the past was unbecoming. Now, he disgracefully pays allegiance to his political master, former President Mbeki, and defies ANC NEC decisions. Good riddance.

Jack Govender funeral

• Date: 4 October 2008 (Saturday)
• Time: Morning
• Place: Chatsworth, Durban, KZN

- SSN

CWU talks ICT

Communications Workers Union is holding a four day event called “Build CWU to fight capitalism in the ICT Sector” at Protea Hotel, Stellenbosch. - Joan Johnson, 082 491 9131

Solidarity with SACCAWU

Alliance partners COSATU, ANC, SACP and civil society will meet today in solidarity with striking SACCAWU workers at Woolworths, a liberal company that has been aggressively turning its employees into “permanent casuals” during the Mbeki years, refusing recognition, and union bashing.

Free State premier resignation

COSATU in the Free State sees nothing wrong with the ANC PEC decision to request the Free State Premier to resign from her position in accordance with the earlier resolution taken democratically in the ANC Provincial Conference in Parys.

Killing of Carletonville miners

A few bureaucrats holding power in the mines do not care about the lives, health and safety of our mineworkers. COSATU North West is calling for a total working class war against the Chamber of Mines, the DME, and those who continue to wage counterrevolution.

President Kgalema Motlanthe

In 2004 the people of South Africa gave this government a clear mandate to create decent, sustainable jobs, fight poverty and stamp out crime. We urge all those who have not registered to vote, particularly youth, to do so. Build a truly participatory democracy. Spare neither courage nor strength.

SACP Policy Conference

Those who believe that there can be no changes in economic and other policies are living in a fool's paradise. Party will throw its weight into ANC-led alliance election campaign. Visibility of communists in all legislatures is imperative. On appropriate occasions they will speak directly for the SACP.

Observer Smear Tactics

Swaziland Coalition of Concerned Civic Organisations denounces the Swazi Weekend Observer’s lying, shoddy, biased and unprofessional reporting, inferring that the Coalition supports acts of terrorism. SCCCO does not condone such acts; in the absence of a full apology it will take the matter further.