Volume 10, No.3 - May 2001
Victory for all people
Letters
Dear Editor
The future survival of an organisation is measured by its present activities and its approach to problem solving. Given the nature of business Metrorail is involved in, it is natural to measure its survival and success by using competencies relevant to such an environment, and amongst others, service delivery comes up tops.
It has been raised by the present government that members of the public should be encouraged to use this kind of transport, as it would ease traffic jams on our roads.
The way this parastatal has been structured and run, is extremely disorganised, to say the least, and when the new government took over, little was done to improve service to the passengers.
One can argue that the organisational structure has been changed to meet the demands of the new order, but for a poor commuter, whose travel arrangements depend on the punctuality and efficiency of the train services, nothing has been changed.
The Minister of transport is a living eye-witness of this. He wanted to travel with the "masses" on one of the trains in Pretoria and he was surprised to see how late and packed commuter trains are. Mr. Minister, this is what all those who use public transport have to deal with, every working day of their lives.
And these are the tax-payers, people who pay your salaries, and to add salt to the wounds, a whole lot of them elected you into office.
One wonders why most of these trains in Cape Town do not have windows. When one enters a so-called third class carriage, it is like entering a transport system in the 1600s.
I wonder if Metrorail management train their 'ticket examiners' in customer service. These guys are so rude and arrogant, you can think they are the then members of the AWB. A civilized person cannot treat the elderly the way these people treat old citizens. It is pathetic.
It is common knowledge that a lot of people from the Cape Flats change trains at Mutual station to take the Bellville line. So between 7 am and 8:30 am, that place is like a ZCC gathering during Easter Holidays. The are so many people, you need to have body guards to walk around. And very few trains are servicing this line at that time.
To make it worse, some of them are coming in late. When the train leaves the platform on the Bellville line, commuters are hanging on the outside of the train. I have never seen anything like that. A whole lot of them are hanging or sitting between carriages. I wonder if this life threatening exercise will ever stop.
Should this be the kind of life and experience expected in South Africa? I now understand why commuters die in Metrorail stations. In the past week, we experienced the death of people at Park station, and in the East Rand. A station was burnt - down in Pretoria because trains were late, as usual.
I understand why people get infuriated. People are very angry. It defies logic to have ten first-class carriages with tight security and four third-class ones. I have never seen nor heard of this anywhere else in the world. Can somebody do something, please! Regards, Petros Matshinini, Maitland
Dear Editor,
May I take this opportunity and congratulate COSATU for what she has done for the benefit of the have-nots (employees) countrywide. About 80% of the haves (companies) are reluctant to do what the federation has done. The vast majority of workers are illiterate in terms of e-mail and Internet and henceforth need to be taught now.
We appreciated the mutual relationship that has germinated between COSATU and Infosat. We all sing the same song and say: "Viva Infosat Viva". Before 2001 ends the campaign to narrow the technology gap will have been fulfilled. All affiliates should not be discouraged by the high rate of retrenchment/liquidation of the companies we work for.
I motivate all COSATU membership, that ranges from illiterate business sectors (e.g. farmworkers, domestic workers, as well as retail) to be thirsty for learning and to ignore the slogan belief that says, "Education is too expensive".
The mere fact that COSATU tends not to restrict the e-mail service to union members verifies that the leadership of the federation worked really harmoniously like eyes with the constituency, taking into consideration that anyone who wants a free e-mail service can register.
We wait for a good outcome from COSATU and SADTU, as they are currently holding talks with companies to make computers available to members at a manageable price, especially those who are from the private sector or self-employed.
Nothing is impossible in life. If SACTWU did win the rights to e-mail and Internet for their shop stewards, why can't other affiliates? Aluta SACCAWU, Aluta! Yours in the struggle for transformation, fraternally A M Magade, SACCAWU, King William's Town
Dear Editor,
I am touched and encouraged by the article in the March edition of the workers' revolutionary magazine, The Shopsteward, March 2001, written by Comrade Vusumuzi Mjakunca, concerning the problems confronting the workers employed by trade unions, particularly within COSATU.
The said comrade is advancing the argument for the establishment of an organisation to represent the long silent voice of exploited and powerless union employees/officials, unfortunately operating in an environment which was supposed to be the most democratic, progressive and worker-friendly but are instead trapped in the pull of confusion and contradictions.
While sharing the same viewpoints as the comrade to form such an organisation, it is critical to highlight that the correct starting point should be ensuring that they address the possible fundamental obstacles, by firstly ironing out attitudes amongst themselves or towards each other, as workers or as staff , and of employers (worker-leaders/office bearers) towards employees.
The ideal way is for these fellow comrades to realise that freedom is not only for a few people but that everyone deserves it. Everyone has problems at work without exceptions and therefore needs service.
It is contradictory in terms to acknowledge that you are in the forefront leading the cause of democratisation in the workplace and the champion of better working conditions, shouting slogans about transformation and protection of workers' rights, but your priorities are directed outside whilst in your own house, workers are not enjoying the same.
Comrades need to utilise forums such as COSATU regional organisers' forums to advance this noble idea and stop lamenting about their problems.
The LRA in this country of ours recognises all workers. You are the champions of this cause, so don't fail yourselves. Nsizwa Mtungwa
Dear Editor
Heartfelt greetings from the members of MSF Bradford Engineering Staff Branch, [England].
I have been asked by our sister Branch to write an article for their newsletter on internet communication as a tool in the fight for Workers' Rights globally.
COSATU is the obvious choice to hold up as an example.
In order to strengthen the message and add to the sense of international solidarity, I would like to humbly ask for a short message of unity from you to MSF Bradford Community Branch that I may include in the work. Thank you, Barry
The Editor
In this first paragraph let me salute all our comrades from Cape to Cairo.
Would you give me some more information concerning our mothers and sisters who have been employed by somebody who has taken a tender from our government.
Those workers have been there for more than six years but up to now they don't have any benefits except their three-hour salary for feeding the school children.
If you have that charity please contact me. Your co-operation will be highly appreciated. Long live Manaileng Ra-Firi Unemployed Organisation (MARUO), long live! Yours in struggle Nkhou Piet Motseda, Mamelodi
