SOUTH AFRICA
General strike opposes unemployment
By Johnnie Stevens
On May 10, the Congress of South African Trade Unions led
a general strike in South Africa. COSATU estimated that 4.5
million workers answered the call to stay away from work and
to rally.
This May 10 general strike of 37 percent of the total work
force redefines the relationship of forces within the basic
contradiction in a capitalist society like South
Africa--which is between labor and capital.
Willie Madisha, president of COSATU, said the main reason
for the strike was to protest the massive destruction of
jobs--780,000 have disappeared over the last 10 years.
Madisha demanded the amendment of the Labor Relations Act
to make layoffs "a mandatory issue for negotiations with the
union." It also called for changing the Insolvency Act to
protect workers "in cases of company liquidations" and to
"halt the unilateral restructuring (i.e., privatization) of
government or state-owned companies."
COSATU also wants to "put an end to the accelerated tariff
reduction program to bring South Africa in line with our own
WTO commitments."
Madisha reiterated COSATU's opposition to the Growth,
Employment and Redistribution (GEAR) policies, a
market-friendly strategy of the African National Congress
government. "The ANC strategy," said Madisha, "is aimed at
wooing foreign investors and has led to cuts in state
subsidies and services, privatization of state-owned
companies and lowering the tariff barriers."
Madisha continued: "GEAR is not working. We need jobs
now!"
The South African Chamber of Busi ness said the
manufacturing sector was the hardest hit by the strike, with
60 percent of the workers staying away. More than half the
country's gold, platinum and diamond mines reported
significant stay-aways.
According to COSATU, marches supporting the strike took
place throughout the country. Some 120,000 marched in
Johannesburg, 50,000 in Pretoria, 50,000 in Cape Town, 20,000
in Port Elizabeth, 10,000 in Netspruit and 5,000 in East
London.
A COSATU executive committee meeting on May 16-17 found
the strike proved its ability to mobilize its members and win
support from the public.
This article is copyright under a Creative
Commons License.
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