Thursday, May 28, 2015

COSATU Calls for African Industrialization on Africa Day
24 May 2015

The Congress of South African Trade Unions joins all billion of African citizenry to celebrate Africa Day on the 25th May 2015.

African working class has played a major struggles freedom and liberation from the colonial and imperialist rulers since 1963 to date.

COSATU appreciates all the forefathers of liberty of all African States such as Kwame Nkrumah, Nelson Mandela, Samora Machel and countless others.

Today, African states are politically free, however that has not translated into economic freedom.

Majority of African states still suffers from diseases such as Ebola, malaria, cholera, HIV/AIDS and other communicable and non-communicable diseases.

Africa nations still suffer from internal conflicts, civil wars, political protests against some of the rulers, repression from some states, un-ending terms of office by some leaders and lack of due respect for the rule of law.

Many workers in Africa are still suffering from exploitation by multi-national companies who extract minerals and other commodities out of Africa for their own benefit.

Many migrant workers are under-employed in many countries despite the International Labour Organization’s labour standards ratified by many countries.

Many workers are forced out of their countries by various issues such as poverty, unemployment and hunger to seek for opportunities across Africa and in Europe through nerve-wrecking means such as crossing the Mediterranean Sea.

Many migrant workers have died in pursuit for ‘greener pastures, with many eaten by lions in forests, many drowning in seas, many killed by rebels and many taken for human trafficking business.

On Africa Day, COSATU urges all African states to commit to peace in the continent and respect all the African Union statues on democratic principles, sound governance principles and respect for the rule of law.

COSATU calls for commitment to eradicate all the social ills and diseases by having sound health systems to enhance the life expectancy of the African citizenry.

COSATU urges all migrant workers across countries to be organized under the Trade Unions in all countries they are located, to curb the super-exploitative acts by bosses across the continent in pursuit for super-profits.

COSATU urges all African states to re-prioritize development in Africa in the interest of the masses and not only a chosen ‘few’. Beneficiation in all the wealth of all countries must be centred to enhance the lives of all citizenry out of poverty, under-development, mal-nutrition, exploitation, famine and lack of skills.

COSATU calls for protection of migrant workers under attack from xenophobic, afrophobic and other hate related attacks in the African continent.

COSATU calls for formalization of the informal economy as many African are pushed on the periphery of the economic activities by retrenchments, outsourcing, right-sizing, down-sizing and privatization with all companies doing business in Africa.

COSATU calls for unionization of all workers in Africa to strengthen the hegemony of workers’ formation in the continent.
Solidarity actions must be extended on worker to workers basis, and with learning of each other’s languages, to enhance working together.

COSATU on Africa Day urges all workers and their families to wear their African attire, to recite African poetry, to sing African music and appreciate the heritage of being African in Africa.

Issued by COSATU
Ntai Norman Mampane (Acting National Spokesperson)
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 or Direct: +27 10 219-1348
Mobile: +27 72 416 3790
Twitter: @_cosatu / @COSATU2015_
Web: www.cosatu.org.za

‘The history of all hitherto existing society is the history of class struggles’-The Communist Manifesto


NUM Statement on Africa Day

25 May 2015

The Africa Day gives Africans the time to celebrate Africa`s successes and to reflect on its problems and challenges. One of the most dominant stories of 2015 is the recent xenophobic violence in South Africa.

During this year xenophobic attacks, the United Nations (UN) expressed its concern at the xenophobic attacks in South Africa, saying the violence had displaced 5,000 people.

At least six people were killed during the unrest spreading from the eastern port city of Durban to the country`s financial hub Johannesburg.

The NUM fully supports the implementation of ‘Operation Fiela’ which is a government initiative designed to deal with xenophobia. The NUM say NO to Xenophobia.

Some of our members came from various African countries and contributed to the South African mining economy. They contributed immensely to the industrialisation of South Africa. The NUM will participate in all programmes designed to educate communities about diversity and the importance of unity of the working class beyond the colonial borders.

"It is still totally unacceptable and inexcusable that immigrants can be attacked for being immigrants in a country which purports to support human rights," said Frans Baleni, the NUM General Secretary.

“The working class and the poor should be united against the common enemy, i.e. oppressive regimes and capitalist exploitation. We cannot wage war against each other. Workers of the world should unite, and therefore we must discourage this malady,” Baleni.

Since independence, Africans have been terribly betrayed. They have been betrayed by the superpowers, who used Africa as a battlefield in the fight for global domination, and sanctioned corruption and tyranny as long as their interests are served. Most of all, they have been betrayed by their own leaders, who have done little but bask in personality cults and fill foreign bank accounts.

"Africa needs a new generation of leaders to turn the tide. A new generation of leaders who will focus on rebuilding Africa post colonization. A new generation of leaders who will invest and build effective and efficient resources exploitation to benefit the African economy and eliminate poverty, unemployment and severe inequalities that are affecting the continent," Baleni said.

But pinning the blame on superpowers and colonialists is no longer the trump card it once was. Africans are now willing to say publicly that Africa has failed and that Africans themselves have to take a share of the blame. Africa continues to make steady economic, social and political progress.

It is time for Africa to invest in education, health and infrastructure to improve its economy.

The challenge is to educate and empower women and children who represent Africa’s future. If we empower women and children, we help build better, more equal and more prosperous societies.

African governments must break down the social, economic, environmental and cultural obstacles that women and girls face.

They must intensify efforts to provide Africa’s women with better access to education, work, and health care.

As the NUM, we believe that African governments must do more to end violence against women and children.

Despite an overall decline in the number of conflicts, too many Africans still experience violent conflict.

Women and girls bear the brunt and are frequent targets of sexual violence and abuse.

For further information contact:
Frans Baleni: NUM General Secretary: 082 375 6443
Livhuwani Mammburu: Acting NUM National Spokesperson: 083 809 3257
ADDRESS:
7 Rissik Street.
Cnr Frederick,
Johannesburg 2001

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