COSATU State of the Nation Expectations
The federation expects today's SONA to flesh out in detail work plans, time frames and targets on the following matters of critical importance to workers and their families:
A Jobs Plan
We want an urgent convening of the long promised Presidential Jobs Summit with a path towards building a growing economy that creates a million decent jobs per anum.
An end to labour broking, outsourcing and privatisation, especially in the state as well as the retail sector.
Re-industrialisation of the manufacturing sector.
Boost our exports, especially to Africa.
Re-skilling of the workers.
Work with all social partners to stem the tide of retrenchments
National Minimum Wage
A clear assurance that it will be passed by Parliament and come into law on 1 May without delays.
Crime and Corruption
A clear commitment to end the culture of looting and state capture.
Heads must roll at NPA, Hawks and SAPS. The leadership that has allowed state capture to thrive needs to go.
Wasteful Expenditure
Government needs to curb wasteful expenditure and must hold people accountable.
The bloated cabinet must be reduced by half and the captured fired ministers fired immediately.
Bling lifestyles of the political elite at the expense of the tax payer must be stopped.
Water
We call for a national plan that will address as a matter of the highest urgency the water crises threatening the W. Cape, E. Cape, N. Cape and parts of the F. State and KZN and Gauteng. These must be based on sustainable paths that include recycling, desalination and conservation. This is an opportunity to protect health and the environment and also create jobs.
State Owned Enterprises
South needs a clear plan to clean up Eskom, SAA, SABC, Denel and SASSA. This must include comprehensive forensic audits and the arrest, prosecution and the seizure of assets of all those implicated in corruption.
An improvement of governance and management systems in the SOE's that will help put them on a sustainable financial footing. This must definitely not include privatisation.
National Health Insurance and Comprehensive Social Security
COSATU wants clear commitments and timeframes to fast track the roll out of both the NHI and Comprehensive Social Security. We need to ensure that they serve the working and middle classes and not simply dominant monopoly industries.
Education
We need clear sustainable funding models to ensure free and affordable tertiary education for the working and middle classes.
We also need clear plans to address the infrastructure, quality and overcrowding crisis at schools.
Energy
The government needs to clarify once and for all government's plans to expand nuclear energy.
We need a clear plan and commitment to ensure that no jobs will be lost, whilst the renewable energy sector expands. Government must have a plan with industry and labour that provides for the re-skilling and absorption of any worker, whose job will be threatened by the changes in the energy sector.
SASSA
COSATU wants the end of the capture of SASSA by CPS.
The Presidency and National Treasury needs to take over the process of transferring social grant payments to the Post Bank.
Land Reform and Agriculture
We expect a logical and clear plan to speed up land reform and restitution.
We also demand a clear plan to protect and grow the agricultural sector, the largest employer after the public sector.
The SONA should also present a plan to protect the rights of farm workers and ensure they have security of tenure.
Transport
Cde Cyril Ramaphosa needs to resolve the issue of E Tolls.
We also want a commitment to address the collapse of Metro Rail and a commitment and a plan to expand safe and accessible public transport.
Issued by COSATU
Sizwe Pamla (Cosatu National Spokesperson)
Tel: 011 339 4911
Fax: 011 339 5080
Cell: 060 975 6794
A Jobs Plan
We want an urgent convening of the long promised Presidential Jobs Summit with a path towards building a growing economy that creates a million decent jobs per anum.
An end to labour broking, outsourcing and privatisation, especially in the state as well as the retail sector.
Re-industrialisation of the manufacturing sector.
Boost our exports, especially to Africa.
Re-skilling of the workers.
Work with all social partners to stem the tide of retrenchments
National Minimum Wage
A clear assurance that it will be passed by Parliament and come into law on 1 May without delays.
Crime and Corruption
A clear commitment to end the culture of looting and state capture.
Heads must roll at NPA, Hawks and SAPS. The leadership that has allowed state capture to thrive needs to go.
Wasteful Expenditure
Government needs to curb wasteful expenditure and must hold people accountable.
The bloated cabinet must be reduced by half and the captured fired ministers fired immediately.
Bling lifestyles of the political elite at the expense of the tax payer must be stopped.
Water
We call for a national plan that will address as a matter of the highest urgency the water crises threatening the W. Cape, E. Cape, N. Cape and parts of the F. State and KZN and Gauteng. These must be based on sustainable paths that include recycling, desalination and conservation. This is an opportunity to protect health and the environment and also create jobs.
State Owned Enterprises
South needs a clear plan to clean up Eskom, SAA, SABC, Denel and SASSA. This must include comprehensive forensic audits and the arrest, prosecution and the seizure of assets of all those implicated in corruption.
An improvement of governance and management systems in the SOE's that will help put them on a sustainable financial footing. This must definitely not include privatisation.
National Health Insurance and Comprehensive Social Security
COSATU wants clear commitments and timeframes to fast track the roll out of both the NHI and Comprehensive Social Security. We need to ensure that they serve the working and middle classes and not simply dominant monopoly industries.
Education
We need clear sustainable funding models to ensure free and affordable tertiary education for the working and middle classes.
We also need clear plans to address the infrastructure, quality and overcrowding crisis at schools.
Energy
The government needs to clarify once and for all government's plans to expand nuclear energy.
We need a clear plan and commitment to ensure that no jobs will be lost, whilst the renewable energy sector expands. Government must have a plan with industry and labour that provides for the re-skilling and absorption of any worker, whose job will be threatened by the changes in the energy sector.
SASSA
COSATU wants the end of the capture of SASSA by CPS.
The Presidency and National Treasury needs to take over the process of transferring social grant payments to the Post Bank.
Land Reform and Agriculture
We expect a logical and clear plan to speed up land reform and restitution.
We also demand a clear plan to protect and grow the agricultural sector, the largest employer after the public sector.
The SONA should also present a plan to protect the rights of farm workers and ensure they have security of tenure.
Transport
Cde Cyril Ramaphosa needs to resolve the issue of E Tolls.
We also want a commitment to address the collapse of Metro Rail and a commitment and a plan to expand safe and accessible public transport.
Issued by COSATU
Sizwe Pamla (Cosatu National Spokesperson)
Tel: 011 339 4911
Fax: 011 339 5080
Cell: 060 975 6794
No comments:
Post a Comment