Cosatu Gauteng Provincial Executive Committee held on 18th-19th Feb 08 22-02-08

 

Press statement of the COSATU Gauteng Provincial Executive Committee held on 18th -19th February 2008

The COSATU Gauteng Provincial Executive Committee held its first PEC of 2008 on 18th -19th February 2008. Amongst the issues discussed were the political overview and socio-economic issues.

POLITICAL OVERVIEW

The PEC reflected on the outcome of the 52nd ANC National Conference that was held in Limpopo last year December. The PEC congratulated all leaders elected to the National Executive Committee of the ANC under the leadership of Cde. Jacob Zuma. We are also pleased about some of the resolutions taken, including the issue of ensuring that from next year 60% of our schools will be no-fee schools. We however caution comrades that we should not sit on our laurels but be vigilant and guard jealously all the gains and strides we have made in Limpopo.

We also echoed the same sentiment as expressed by both the ANC NEC Lekgotla and our Gauteng ANC Provincial Lekgotla of working tirelessly to forge unity and cohesion with the ANC and its Alliance partners.

ON EDUCATION

The PEC resolved to work closely with all the stakeholders in the Education Alliance to ensure that campaigning for quality public education becomes priority. We share the same sentiment with all the students who are protesting against both academic exclusion and higher fee increases. As part and parcel of the broader COSATU Jobs and anti-poverty campaign we will support all the struggles by students. The PEC condemned the universities and the Minister of Education for closing institutions instead of resolving the issues when there is protest.

We reiterate our call that education is a priority and that we will reject any form of commodifiying education in all its facets. We will be embarking on a mass action, as part of the Education Alliance campaign, to ensure that indeed education is being accessed by all of us, including those who can't afford the exorbitant fees. The PEC also strongly condemned the use of rubber bullets by police during the peaceful protest by students.

The PEC also expressed its dismay in the manner in which the Gauteng Education Department handled the recovery plan for the matrics who failed last year. We are particularly angry at the treatment demonstrated by the Gauteng Education Department, in particular the MEC Angie Motshekga, of undermining all the initiatives that we took to ensure that that recovery plan is indeed successful.

All the meetings we have initiated with the department have been cancelled just minutes before they were due to begin, when comrades are already in the MECs boardroom. The PEC therefore makes the following call:

That all learners who failed should go and register at their previous schools, not in District, since Districts could not be transparent about the process
That tuition should be done from Monday to Friday
The centres should be next to where the learners stay
That all subjects that learners had failed should be taught

We are also calling for the extension of the deadline of 15th February 2008, given that about 11000 learners have not yet registered, due to the sloppy and clumsy advocacy programme by GDE to ensure that they know their registration points and the centres. The PEC reiterates the call that the recovery programme should not be used as another get-rich-quick scheme by GDE but it should be a comprehensive programme that will indeed assist learners to pass during the May/June re-write exams period.

ON LOAD SHEDDING

The PEC lambasted government for not taking seriously the report that was presented to them 10 years ago about the state of our electricity infrastructure. We will as COSATU in Gauteng engage communities about the need for energy saving and be part and parcel of the broader campaign initiated by ANC in the province. We call on all big business and government departments, to switch off their lights after work and during the night.

We also call on all the employers not to retrench workers because of load shedding or cut their salaries, given that it's not their problem.

PUBLIC TRANSPORT CHALLENGES

The PEC expressed its anger and disgust at the barbaric conduct by the taxi drivers in molesting and harassing women and girls for wearing mini-skirts, particularly the incident at the Noord taxi rank. The issue of the violence against women and children needs to be tackled as a priority by all the stakeholders, particularly men who are always the perpetrators.

We call on all communities to join us in the march that will take place on 8th March 2008 on the International Day against Women abuse. We call on all women in the Province to wear mini-skirts as we march to both Noord and Bree taxi ranks. We also call on all men to take the lead in this march by joining us and calling for an end to women abuse

We are seeking legal advice on how are we going to litigate taxi associations who use Noord taxi rank, given that they can't take responsibility and discipline their taxi drivers. The PEC called on the City of Johannesburg to cancel the tender of the Security Company that is responsible for the safety of commuters, given that they have not only failed the victim but all women in the country by not taking action against on the perpetrators.

The PEC also condemns the torching of trains and calls on all commuters and communities to take the lead in protecting public property. We also condemned the management of Metro Rail for failing to ensure that there is efficient communication with commuters when there are problems with the operation of the trains. We will be engaging SARCC and Metro Rail to discuss a joint awareness campaign that will ensure commuters and communities understand the importance of preserving public property.

The PEC also call for the visibility of the railway police, instead of these security companies that are not adequately equipped to deal with crime and other forms of vandalism in the trains.

We are also calling on government to fast-track the programme on the Integrated Public Transport that is efficient, reliable, safe and accessible.

ON XENOPHOBIA

The PEC noted the increase in xenophobic crimes that have taken place recently in Gauteng, particularly in Soshanguve. We believe that we are all African; no one amongst us should commit any form of violence against our African brothers and sisters. We all understand the political and economic situation of our fellow African who happened to be in our country.

We think that South African government, particular the Home Affairs Department, has the capacity and resources to ensure that these people are speedily assisted with the necessary documents such as asylums seekers' documents.

The PEC also condemned the heavy-handed manner demonstrated by our security and safety agencies to the refugees at the Central Methodist Church. The police should be the custodians of human right not the transgressors. We will be meeting with the management of the church to discuss how best COSATU can assist in ensuring that those comrades get adequate accommodation documents.

The PEC makes a call to all municipalities to have refugee desks like the City of Johannesburg to assist these comrades. We will be convening a conference on xenophobia in April and we calling on all stakeholders such as police, Departments of Social Services and Home Affairs to work with us to address this problem.

MAY DAY 2008 PREPARATION

The PEC endorse the suggestion that May Day will be celebrated at Boipatong Stadium, Sedibeng, as part and parcel of the principle of rotation amongst all the five clusters that constitute COSATU Gauteng Province which are:

JHB
Tshwane
Ekurhuleni
West Rand
Sedibeng

We made a call to all affiliates, COSATU Locals and Alliance partners to formulate campaigning programmes in order to ensure the success of May Day 2008.

End!

For further information or interviews please phone Siphiwe Mgcina, COSATU Gauteng Provincial Secretary, on 011 873 2610 or 082 465 8336