Zwelinzima Vavi (centre) of the South African Federation of Trade Unions speaks at a press conference, 12 June 2018, in Johannesburg. With him is Jacob Molefe, left, of the South African Liberating Public Sector Public Service Union and Oscar Skommere of the South African Policing Union. Picture: Michel Bega
Hundreds of red-clad South African Federation of Trade Unions (Saftu) delegates yesterday converged at Boksburg’s Birchwood Hotel for a three-day inaugural central executive committee (CEC) to hear Saftu president Mac Chavalala urge members to foster “genuine relations with revolutionary leftist formations to fight the ANC-led right-wing agenda of privatisation”.
Since its launch two years ago, the fledgling Saftu – a rival of the ANC-aligned Cosatu – gathered for the first time in the CEC, the highest decision-making body in between national congresses, to take stock of political, labour and membership advances.
In his keynote address, Chavalala launched a scathing attack on the ruling party-led government for introducing privatisation of state-owned enterprises (SOEs) “under the guise of public, private partnerships” – saying that would lead to job losses.
Taking a swipe at the governing ANC, Chavalala said: “Workers are crying out for a revolutionary working class leadership and we dare not fail them.
“The capitalist class, supported by a capitalist state has declared war on jobs through privatisation of SOEs – a reformist outcome.
“Everything done by the ANC – whether privatisation or looting – is said to be done in the interest the people.
“Poor service delivery is done in the interest of the people – yet the working class continue to vote the same people to office.
“While it is the same working class that has been complaining, about corruption and looting, it is the same working class that has brought back the ANC to office.”
Chavalala said Saftu’s role was deepen public political education and unite the working class under one union federation.
In a show of solidarity, the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu) was represented at the Saftu CEC by Amcu general secretary Jeffrey Mphahlele and treasurer Jimmy Gama, who received thunderous applause.
“Our founding congress resolution gave us a mandate to discuss working class relations with other leftist parties.
READ MORE: Saftu rages against Mboweni’s plan to sell SOEs
“We are a revolutionary, anti-imperialist labour federation, created due to the betrayal by the ANC of working class interests by the dangerous trio of (President) Cyril Ramaphosa, (Finance Minister) Tito Mboweni and (Public Enterprises Minister) Pravin Gordhan.
“This trio is bent on destroying jobs under the guise of public, private partnerships.
“While workers are on strike at the SA Airways, Ramaphosa tells a BRICS meeting in Brazil that moves to introduce a public, private partnership are at an advance stage at the SOE.”
Chavalala blamed capitalism for “reducing family relations to money”.
“Gods of capital eat and drink money. The youth will tell you about the black tax.
“As seen in killings within the ANC, capitalism is heartless. ANC killings are about money and no political differences.
“You can talk about anything within the ANC but not tenders, lest you be killed,” said Chavalala.
On the advent of the fourth industrial revolution, Chavalala said while the union federation endorsed technological advancement, workers had to be upskilled to avoid job losses.
Political, economic and international relations would be among topics to be discussed today.
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