Boycott, go-slow on Swaziland

COSATU, together with its affiliates and its working-class and Civil Society allies, has organised a week of boycott, go-slow and non-handling of goods to Swaziland, to protest against lack of democracy there. This week of multiple actions commences on 27 October 2008 and continues until 1 November 2008.

Mere Analysts

Opposition political parties are always on Radio and TV Talk-Shows giving scholarly analysis of the ANC and how best it should resolve its problems. Recently these ‘political analysts’ who are actually leaders of political parties have ululated the possibility of a new political party. - Benzi ka-Soko, POPCRU

Dealing with Lekota & Co

ANC will take disciplinary action against any member who mobilises for the formation of a new organisation in opposition to the ANC and will proceed with disciplinary proceedings against Cdes Mosiuoa Lekota and Mluleki George as agreed in the NWC. – full text in COSATU Today

Lekota and cronies

We reject the notion promoted by the latest renegade Shilowa that we follow a “popcorn” political culture of the United States and elect the President of the Republic as an exercise to divide and weaken our liberation movement. Lekota and Shilowa are in the same league as Savimbi and Dlakama. - FAWU

From working class hero, to zero

Shilowa had become a capitalist activist and a champion of the 1996 antirevolutionary class project. NUM calls on all members of the working class to disassociate themselves from this mob whose agenda is to pursue political patronage at all costs including at the cost of principles.

Former SATAWU President, Shilowa

SATAWU regrets the resignation of its former president from the ANC and as a leader of our movement. The question is why was democracy not under threat when he was chairperson and premier of Gauteng? This is the height of hypocrisy and indicative of a comrade that should never have been trusted.

Mbhazima blue

Mbhazima Shilowa and his ilk are now like any other citizen who has to endure the heavy traffic jams without blue lights. These comrades have left the ANC by choice and are now a disgruntled brigade who still think that to be a leader in the ANC is a personal entitlement. - COSATU Gauteng

Shilowa resignation

We who know him well know that by dumping the ANC he is not acting in a principled fashion as he claims. This is all about serving a disappointed Shilowa’s political ambitions and nothing else. His biggest problem has always been his elastic ambitions and a huge ego. - COSATU

To POPCRU National Crime Summit

The struggle against crime is a struggle to tackle the national, class and gender contradictions in society. The rebels have not caused a crisis in our country. The initial priority focus for street committees must be on crime, but they must tackle many other problems. - SACP - full text in COSATU Today.

Protest at SA Breweries

COSATU protests at attempts by SAB to stop the banning of shebeens in our communities through the new laws. They are opposed to banning it because they sell 65% of their beer though shebeens. Shebeens continue to play a huge role in the decline of the social fabric of our society.

Rank Steward killed

The SATAWU National Office Bearers and the Gauteng Provincial Office Bearers condemns in the strongest terms the brutal assassination of one of our most loyal and trusted cadres, comrade Malaza on 10 October 2008.

Africa Human Rights Day seminar

HURISA cordially invites you to the commemoration of Africa Human Rights Day. Details:

• Date: 21 October 2008
• Time: 09h30 – 15h30
• Venue: Human Rights House, corner St Andrews & York Streets, Parktown, Jhb
• Refreshments will be served

SASF is going on

The organisers would like to take this opportunity to reassure ALL colleagues and partners in the struggle that intended to attend the forum that it is going on as planned. The organisers have secured an alternative venue for the forum. - Swaziland Economic Justice Network (SEJN), 14 Oct

Swazi government ban on SASF

PUDEMO is aware that meetings were held with police earlier in the year where the regime granted that the forum be held only after the national elections, to which the organizers agreed. PUDEMO calls for civil society to take drastic steps and implement socio-economic sanctions against the Swazi leadership.

Banning of SASF

Swaziland Solidarity Network (SSN) learnt with disgust of the tinkhundla regime's banning of Southern Africa Social Forum Conference. We condemn this backward and oppressive behaviour of Mswati and urge all democracy-loving people to continue with the fight for the liberation of Swaziland. - 14 Oct

Memo to the Swazi Consulate

We demand unconditional withdrawal of the ban on the SA Social Forum and for the monarchy to meet all the demands of the Swazi people for democracy and the unbanning of political parties. We call on SADC to fire Mswati, who chosen to bash the people he is supposed to protect. - COSATU, 14 Oct

CEPPWAWU response to current affairs

Current developments dictate that all our structures from national to locals, must rise above the sinister plan to destabilise and defocus us during this critical moment of preparations for the 2009 elections. We must also fully support our fellow workers in SACCAWU.

Comrade Blade Nzimande

We are aware as the YCL that Justice Pitso, former Provincial Secretary of the SACP in Limpopo, is part of the Terror Lekota charade that intends to build a new political party, but are hell-bent to destroy the SACP and the Alliance before they leave these structures. They will not succeed.

Lies and innuendos

The renewed attack on our General Secretary must be understood within a broader offensive against the SACP. It is a follow-up operation by backup foot soldiers of a failed smear campaign by Willie Madisha and his masters. The trust and confidence to our GS is always confirmed. - SACP KZN

Lekota and George

The ANC National Working Committee (NWC), meeting in Bloemfontein today (13 October 2008), has decided to summarily suspend the ANC membership of Mosiuoa Lekota and Mluleki George with immediate effect. – 13 Oct

SACCAWU, Woolworths seek solution

After more than three weeks of striking at Woolworths, the company agreed to meet with the SACCAWU to seek a resolution to the current strike. The strike will continue and remain firm. The parties agreed they would revert back to each other after consultations with their principals.

Mineworker dies at Kloof

Another mineworker has died, this time at the Goldfields-owned Kloof mine, last night, after a rockfall. NUM passes its condolences to the bereaved family. We reiterate our call for the release of the Presidential Safety Audit Report ordered by the former President in October last year.

In COSATU Today

Speeches to NUMSA 8th Congress:

• Zwelinzima Vavi, COSATU GS
• Blade Nzimade, SACP GS
• Jacob Zuma, ANC President

NUMSA 8th Congress 3rd Day

Highlights, 15 October 2008:

• M. Mdladlana, Minister of Labour
• M. Mpahlwa, Trade and Industry
• A. Kgobe, NIC
• S. Nondwangu, Secretary

Big Sunday Rally in Zimbabwe

Forty thousand turned up at Highfields, Harare, to hear MDC’s President Tsvangirai explain the deadlocked power-sharing negotiations and MDC’s rejection of the unilateral gazetting of ministers by Robert Mugabe.

SACCAWU Congress Programme

SACCAWU’s 9th National Congress is taking place as follows:

• Arrival and Registration: 14 October 2008
• Congress: 15-18 October 2008
• Venue: Birchwood Hotel, Boksburg

Labour Court Order

SACCAWU is obliged to make a statement to call on members on strike at Woolworths to comply with the terms of the Labour Court order and the prevailing picketing rules as established by CCMA and to ensure that no conduct of strikers is in breach of the Labour Court order and/or the Picketing Rules.

YCL Gauteng PWC

Gauteng YCL held its scheduled and ordinary Provincial Working Committee meeting over the weekend and discussed the legacy of former President Mbeki, Lekota's splinter group, the Treasury, the SABC, the 2009 general elections, and the higher education crisis. Full report in COSATU Today.

NUMSA 8th Congress 2nd Day

Highlights, 14 October 2008:

• J. Zuma, ANC President
• Z. Vavi, COSATU GS
• S. Nondwangu, GS
• B. Msibi, DGS
• P. Shiburi, Treasurer

Mugabe's Cabinet gazette

The Zimbabwe National Students Union is totally outraged by Mugabe's lack of political will to assist the nation in finding a lasting solution to the crisis bedevilling our country. He announced a new cabinet list without agreement and due consultation with the other partners in the all inclusive government. - ZINASU

Oil Summit

This summit takes place in a time of the highest rise in crude oil prices. Poor people have suffered the most as the increased oil price oil has led to soaring food prices. This has impacted particularly harshly on the masses in the developing countries. – CEPPWAWU. Full speech in COSATU Today.