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Press StatementsCosatu's 20th Annivesary Celebration |
"20 years of heroic struggle for a better life for all"
1 December 2005 is COSATU's 20th birthday. Inspired by our history of struggle to overcome the many challenges we have faced over those 20 years, we face our next 20 years confident and united, armed with Consolidating Working Class Power for Quality Jobs - Towards 2015, our programme, to carry us forward to our 30th anniversary in 2015.
The 20th anniversary will be used to reassert our unwavering commitment to our socialist principles. We will remember our debt to all the heroines and heroes of our struggle who laid COSATU's foundations by sustaining and strengthening the federation they built through sweat, struggle and sacrifice. We have already paid tribute to some of the great figures of the trade union movement - Elijah Barayi, JB Marks and Moses Kotane - and will continue to honour others.
To celebrate the actual anniversary, taking place in Durban, where it all began in 1985, we shall be:
- Holding a mass rally on Sunday 4 December in ABSA Stadium, King's Park, Durban, to re-enact COSATU's founding rally on 1 December 1985, with past and present leaders of the federation and leaders of our Alliance partners, including ANC Deputy president Jacob Zuma.
- Staging an exhibition to display our achievements, heritage and traditions,
- Organising workers' cultural activities, which will showcase workers' often neglected talent as artists, musicians, poets and dancers, including:
- A photographic and poster exhibition covering the history of the labour movement
- Cultural, dance, music, poetry, story telling and plays
- Display of arts and crafts
- Video and film screenings, including a 20th anniversary special video mapping our 20 year history
- Publishing a souvenir 20th anniversary special edition of the Shopsteward magazine and an historic illustrated commemorative book, Hlanganani Basebenzi.
- Holding debates and discussion throughout KZN on important issues facing workers, as follows:
5 November, Newcastle Seminar
Topic : COSATU and its shop stewards "Then and Now". COSATU shop stewards will debate the different and change roles of shops stewards through a panel discussion between the stewards of the 1970s and of today.
Venue : Canon Conference Centre, Harding Street
Date : 5th November 2005
Time : 10h00 - 15h00
Speaker: Gwede Mantashe (NUM General Secretary) Petrus Mashishi (SAMWU President), Joseph Moloeisani (Veteran SAMWU Shop Steward)
6 November 2005, Port Elizabeth:
A rally to commemorate the life of Vuyisile Mini. He was the first unionist to be executed by the apartheid regime. This will take place in Great Centenary Hall in New Brighton, at 10:00, preceded by laying of wreath at his graveside at Emnopheli, New Brighton, at 09:00.
19 November, Richards Bay
Topic : "Labour law, then and now"
Date : 19th November
Time : 10h00- 15h00
Venue : University of Zululand
Speakers : Professor Halton Cheadle (UCT), Roger Ronnie (SAMWU General Secretary), John Zikhali (SACTWU President)
24 November, Pietermartizburg
Topic : Seminar : Decent Work
Venue : Winston Churchill Community Hall, Msunduzi Municipality
Date : 24th November 2005
Time : 10h00 - 15h00
Speakers : Membathisi Mdladlana (Minister of Labour), Ebrahim Patel (SACTWU General Secretary), Tanya Goldman (CASE)
26 November, Durban
Topic : Seminar: COSATU and Alliances
Venue : To be confirmed
Date : 26th November 2005
Time : 10h00 - 15h00
Speakers: Bheki Ntshalinshali (COSATU Deputy GS), Sankie Mthembi-Mahanyele (ANC Deputy Secretary General), Jeremy Cronin SACP Deputy GS), Dot Keet (Senior Researcher at the Centre for Southern African Studies, UWC), Randall Howard (SATAWU General Secretary)
3 December, Durban
Topic : Seminar : Cosatu and Culture
Venue : BAT Hall
Date : 3 December 2005
Time : 10h00 - 15h00
Speakers : Professor Ari Sitas (poet, writer and sociologist), Nise Malange (Director of the BAT Centre), Mabutho (Kid) Sithole (PAWE President)