Overcoming apartheid divisions for working-class solidarity:- Numsa non-racialism conference 21-23 July 2006
Key Commission Decisions
We must go back and find out about our roots
There should be no tolerance of racial jokes, racial slurs or racial violence. Offenders should be counseled with corrective discipline before contemplating dismissal.
Numsa News and Numsa Bulletin must have a dedicated space on the issue of racism and debate these issues. Members are encouraged to write in about their experiences.
Push for the employment equity Act to cover workplaces less than 50 workers and for there to be a clear dispute breaking mechanism.
Develop a Workplace Charter to regulate employment equity, affirmative action, racial prejudice, racial stereotypes and other such matters. Where companies refuse to abide by it, Numsa to ‘name and shame’ them.
We must challenge racism through education, integrated social activities, respect for each others languages, campaigns [eg SACP campaigns] that unite the working class regardless of race and build class consciousness.
We must examine the extent to which the way in which BEE is panning out is weakening working class hegemony.
For three days in July, almost 200 delegates to Numsa’s non-racialism conference in the Western Cape talked openly about things that are usually said behind other people’s backs.
Delegates admitted that some coloureds still call Africans “kaffirs”, they believe that they “take our work” and they don’t like to be led by “dom darkies”, while Africans term malays “bang [frightened] malaus”.
At times the process was painful but it was necessary if Numsa was to heal the “˜festering sore’ of racism as ex-UDF leader, Allan Boesak, one of the speakers termed it. Although the anti-apartheid “˜army’ had successfully defeated apartheid, Cosatu regional secretary, Tony Ehrenreich told delegates that cracking economic exploitation was a much more difficult task.
A lack of resources – of jobs, houses, hospitals, transport, good schools – meant that racism had reared its head. Those that were beneficiaries under apartheid “want to hang onto them”, while those without “want to get those benefits”. Employers take advantage of this situation by pitting coloured workers against African workers.
“And you cannot go to war [against economic exploitation] with an army that is deeply divided. Race divides us deeply,” Ehrenreich warned. Cosatu must demand more equality, greater social justice and it must deal with the consequences of poverty better. Gangsterism, murder, rape, looting are all spawned by poverty and scarcity of resources, Ehrenreich said.
Numsa Western Cape regional secretary, Karl Cloete reminded delegates of an earlier Numsa conference held in 1997 in the region which had resolved that “as workers, no matter what colour or race we are, we are historically tied and bound together as part of the working class who are exploited by the capitalist class who knows no colour when they exploit workers in their occupation and obsession to maximize profits.”
From Numsa’s side, Numsa general secretary, Silumko Nondwangu told delegates that they had a duty to carry forward the non-racial traditions of Numsa that after nearly 20 years had forged “a single identity as a national union whilst recognizing diverse backgrounds.”
Ukunqoba uqhekeko lobandlululo ukuze abasebenzi babumbaneIzinsuku ezintathu ngoJulayi, cishe izithunywa ezingama-200 ezaya engqungqutheleni yokungabandlululi ngebala yeNumsa eyayenzelwe ukuqalisa ukusebenza kwesinqumo iNyunyana eyasithatha ngonyaka ka-2004. Lesi sinqumo sasithi iNumsa mayenze isu lokuthi izobahlanganisa kanjani bonke abasebenzi ngale kokubabandlulula ngokwebala futhi ibajoyinise iNyunyana. Izithunywa zazibheka zacabangisisa ngazo uqobo ukuze zithombulule ukubandlulula kwazo ngokobuhlanga. Zavumelana ukuthi ubandlululo lwabehlukanisa abasebenzi ngokwebala ngokuthi ziphathe izinhlanga ezahlukene ngendlela ehlukene. Inselelo kwabe sekuba ukuphoqa ubunye bazo zonke izinhlanga ukuze kuliwe nokusekwa kwabantu abanemali eningi yamabhizinisi. Ingqungquthela yasho izindlela zokunqoba ubandlululo ngokwebala ngendlela ecacile.
What People Said
“If you compare Numsa now to Numsa then in 1987 – we could never have talked about these things then.” [A Numsa delegate]
“We have individualized our lives now – we don’t want to take responsibility for the rest of our communities. We know slogans such as “Ubuntu” but what I really mean is “to hell with you, as long as I am alright. We have to find a way to reclaim collective responsibility.” Allan Boesak
Apartheid colonialism distorted identity, tribe identity and religion. People were dispossessed of land, opportunity and skills. We have to be ideological – we must deal with consciousness, build unity between Coloured and Africans, Indians, whites and everyone else. We must build material equality between people. ” Ebrahim Rasool, Western Cape Premier
“We carry the responsibility to change the attitude of our fellow Africans – we should not fight among ourselves and call one another kaffir, dom darkie, hotnot or boere.” [A Numsa delegate]
“The NDR mobilized us against apartheid, the unity of 4 nations and the necessity to build a nation. The NDR of today is still talking about elimination of racism and less about class liberation – will the NDR of today do the trick? [A Numsa delegate]
“Capitalists are trying to sweep up ordinary workers against each other by bringing in affirmative action in a manner where you really can see that one colour is made better than the other.” [A Numsa delegate]
“The equality that the black consciousness philosophy brought made non-racialism possible. We let it slip because we have deliberately allowed the ANC to bring back the language of African, coloured etc. [Allan Boesak]
Ingqungquthela yathi iNumsa kufanele yenze umqulu wendawo yomsebenzi i-Workplace Charter ezolawula ubulungiswa emsebenzini, ukunikezwa kwabantu ababencishwe amathuba izikhundla, ukubandlulula ngokobuhlanga, ukucabanga okungaguquki kanye nezinye izindaba. Inkinga enkulu esifundazweni kwakuwukungabi bikho kwezidingongqangi – ikakhulukazi imisebenzi nezindlu. Kaningi le mpi beyithatha umgudu wezobuhlanga. Isixazululo kwakuwukuqinisekisa ukuthi kwenziwa imisebenzi egcinekayo nokuthi izinqubomgomo zikahulumeni zazisiza “izidingo zabantu bethu”.
Oorkom apartheidsverdelings ter wille van werkersklas-solidariteitBykans 200 afgevaardigdes by Numsa se konferensie oor nie-rassigheid het in Julie oor drie dae begin om “˜n besluit wat die Vakbond in 2004 aanvaar het, in werking te stel. Hierdie besluit het “˜n oproep gedoen op Numsa om “˜n strategie te ontwikkel oor hoe om alle werkers te verenig, ongeag hulle ras, en hulle vir Numsa te werf. Afgevaardigdes het hulleself ernstig ondersoek om sin te maak uit hulle eie rassisme. Hulle het saamgestem dat apartheid werkers op grond van ras verdeel het deurdat verskillende rasse verskillend behandel is. Die uitdaging is nou om eenheid onder alle rasse te bou om kapitalisme te beveg. Die konferensie het maniere bespreek om rassisme te oorkom.
Daar is besluit dat Numsa “˜n Handves vir die Werkplek moes ontwikkel wat gelykheid by die werkplek, regstellende aksie, rassevooroordeel, rassestereotipes en ander kwessies sal reguleer. “˜n Tekort aan hulpbronne is “˜n groot probleem in die provinsie – veral as dit by werk en huisvesting kom. Hierdie stryd neem dikwels ras-dimensies aan. “˜n Oplossing is om seker te maak dat volhoubare werksgeleenthede geskep word, en dat die regering se ekonomiese beleid “ons mense se behoeftes” aanspreek.
Ho fenya dikarohano tsa aparteite bakeng sa tshehetso ya basebetsiBakeng sa matsatsi a mararo ka Phupu, e ka ba baromuwa ba ka bang 200 ba neng ba le khonferenseng ya twantsho ya borabe ya Numsa ba ileng ba qala ho kenya tshebetsong tharollo eo Yunione e ileng ya e amohela ka 2004. Tharollo ena e ipiletsa ho Numsa hore e hlahise leano la ka moo e ka kopanyang basebetsi bohle ho sa natswe borabe ba bona mme e ba thaothe hore ba kene Yunioneng. Baromuwa ba ile ba ba le mosebetsi o boima wa ho itlhatlhoba mme ba rarolle kgethollo ya bona ya borabe. Ba ile ba dumela hore aparteite e ile ya arola basebetsi ka ho ya ka merabe ka ho tshwara merabe e fapaneng ka tsela e fapaneng. Phepetso jwale ke ya ho kopanya merabe e fapaneng hore e lwantshe bokapitale. Khonferense e ile ya beha ditsela tsa ho fenya kgethollo ya borabe.
E itse Numsa e lokela ho hlahisa Tjhata ya Mosebetsing e tla laola tekatekano mosebetsing, ho fana ka menyetla ho bao ba neng ba e tingwa, kgethollo ya borabe, bao ba nang le mehopolo e fosahetseng ka taba tsa borabe ekasitana le ditaba tse ding. Bothata bo boholo provinseng e bile ba kgaello ya mehlodi ya thuso – haholoholo mesebetsi le matlo. Hangata ntwa ena e ne e ba ka ho ya ka borabe. Tharollo e bile ya ho netefatsa hore ho thehwa mesebetsi e tswellang le hore maano a moruo a mmuso a thusa “ditlhokong tsa batho ba habo rona”.
AFRICANISM
What is it that makes me an African?Is it the colour of my skin?Or does it come from within?
Might it be the shape of my nose?Or do you have to look up closeTo see the African in me?
Perhaps it is the texture of my hairThat makes it so hard for you to noticeThat it is there?
I don’t know you tell meWhat is it that defines me as an African?
I am black, bold and proud.I like to stand out in a crowd,It is the African in me that encourages meTo let my voice be heard beyond the beat of the drumsIt is the African in me that drives me to let my presenceBe felt across the African skies.
It is the African in me that helps me to understand theSpirit of Ubuntu.It is the African in me that urges me to fight without a gunIt is the African in me that urges me to pushForward the struggle of Abasebenzi.
It is the African in me that makes me proud ofMy Africanism.It is indeed the African in me that makes me An African.
Jackie Williams [Wits Central West region]