Comparison of ANC policy conference resolutions with Cosatu position
STRATEGY AND TACTICS
Monopoly Capital and the NDR
Draft ANC Resolutions
Cosatu Resolutions
Additional comments
* Divergence noted between ANC objectives and value system and those of monopoly capital.* However, response based on a model of a strong developmental state with private capital as partner in increasing investment and job-creation.* State response to negative tendencies to be influenced by the practical conduct of private capital.
* Transformation of production structures and ownership through the adoption of anti-monopoly and anti-concentration policy aimed at creating competitive markets, broadening ownership and participation, addressing monopoly pricing and other forms of rent seeking.
* 9th Congress resolution on re-emphasising Freedom Charter and RDP provisions on nationalisation, including of key and/or monopoly industries such as mining, telecommunications, petrochemicals and banks.
* Pass legislation enabling state takeover of industries that have been abandoned or are in financial trouble.* Drastic steps to redistribution of wealth, including scrapping VAT and increasing tax on company profits
* While ANC resolutions contain positive anti-monopoly elements, not far-reaching enough.Reactive (as opposed to proactive interventionist) role of the state in contrast to Cosatu position.
Development State and Social Democracy
Draft ANC Resolutions
Cosatu Resolutions
Additional comments
* Broad emphasis on a developmental state model that:i) has the capacity to intervene in the economy to address higher rates of growth and development, poverty and inequality and,ii) at the same time ensures a participatory and representative democracy.* Maintenance of alliance between social democratic parties and trade union movement.
Cosatu emphasis includes:* Sustainable employment creation, decent work.* Broad participation in policy formulation* Expansionary fiscal policy with monetary policy targeting employment and growth targets through implementation of reduction in real interest rates.* Developmental finance institutions’ role especially IDC to support state initiatives
* No obvious contradictions between the two positions.* However, lack of detail in ANC positions, especially on fiscal and monetary policy, reflects distinct gaps that effectively indicate lack of consensus on the definition of a “developmental stateâ€
Tripartite Alliance
Draft ANC Resolutions
Cosatu Resolutions
Additional comments
* Alliance continues to be “objective necessity†with the ANC as the leader of the alliance in the execution of the NDR.* Greater explanation required of characterisation of alliance as a strategic rather than tactical alliance.* Role of Sanco generally supported.
* While led by the ANC, alliance partners should recognise one another’s independence and equal status.* Policy development process and implementation should be informed by a collective endeavour.
* Review of alliance structure so that all partners play a meaningful role in NDR.* Alliance constituted as the political centre with authority over deployments, governance, policy formulation and implementation.*
Review of functioning and co-ordination to include regular and dedicated convening of alliance secretariat and ten-a-side meetings.
* Structured and binding alliance pact with conditions and minimum agreed goals, and that would form the basis for an alliance manifesto for 2009 elections.
* Considerable gaps between the two positions with ANC resolution omitting to recognise a meaningful role for other partners.* ANC resolutions distinctly oriented away from alliance as the political centre.
SOCIAL TRANSFORMATION
Social Development
Draft ANC Resolutions
Cosatu Resolutions
Additional comments
* Emphasis on need for integrated and comprehensive social security system.* With regards to rejecting the extension of safety net to people with no income and who do not qualify for any social grants, emphasis was placed on discouraging dependence on social grants and rather developing comprehensive measures to fight poverty.
* Other targeted social grant reforms called for extension of child support grants (CSG) to children of 18 years and equalizing pensionable age to 60 years.* Rejection of proposal for chronic illness grant including for those with HIV/AIDS.
* Maintains call for the BIG (Basic Income Grant) as part of comprehensive social security system.
* While there would be support for extension of CSG to children up to 18 years, a yawning gap remains between ANC and Cosatu resolution on the definition of comprehensive social security, in particular around the BIG.
* ANC emphasis on the “comprehensive†nature of social security is inherently contradictory in the face of refusal to extend safety net to those with no access to a social grant or any other source of income.
Education
Draft ANC Resolutions
Cosatu Resolutions
Additional comments
* Key priority of ANC in government.* No fee schools policy should be extended or declare free education until higher education level * Progressively expand the school nutrition programme to include high school learners* Other progressive measures to include EPWP to include building of schools to replace mud schools, reviewing ABET to better respond to skills development.
* Supports free quality public education for all (including for ECD, ABET and FET) as a basic right,. * Education transformation to be based on equity and equal access for all with funding mechanisms to achieve this.
* ANC position on free education undecided as yet. Whilst extension of no fees schools would be an improvement on current situation , it would still fall far short of addressing universal and equal access to quality education.
* Other major gap in ANC recommendations includes omission to consider funding mechanisms.* Insufficient commitment given to ABET in ANC recommendations.
Health
Draft ANC Resolutions
Cosatu Resolutions
Additional comments
* Alongside education, healthcare would be one of the two key priorities.* Reaffirm implementation of the NHI* Government to intervene in high health costs and prices, including through a state-owned pharmaceutical company.
* In considering making HIV and AIDS notifiable, a distinction would be drawn between the two.* Accelerate the rollout of ARTs at all health facilities.* Rejection of special HIV and AIDS grant on the basis that this would be catered for by comprehensive social security system.
* Support the encouragement of voluntary counselling and testing and disclosure, with emphasis on voluntary nature of testing and disclosure.
* Conflict between ANC proposals to make either HIV or AIDS notifiable and Cosatu support for voluntary testing and disclosure.
* Although Cosatu support the introduction of a NHI, there is likely to be conflict with ANC’s proposed model which is closer to a SHI.* Accelerated rollout of ARTs would find support. However, serious gap in the failure to consider funding mechanisms.
Water, and Sanitation
Draft ANC Resolutions
Cosatu Resolutions
Additional comments
* Review the mandate and composition of water service institutions and align to development imperatives.* Increase infrastructure timelines to allow more labour intensive construction.
* Access to free basic services should be implemented on a universal basis and as an absolute right.* Sufficient free basic water and electricity per person per day should be implemented with a progressive rising block tariff. No one should be disconnected from the initial free amount.* Calls for the outlawing of pre-paid meters.
While ANC proposals are to be supported (taking into account the abuses by water service institutions), it still reflects a significant distance from ensuring free universal basic services as called for by Cosatu.
Judiciary
Draft ANC Resolutions
Cosatu Resolutions
Additional comments
* Resolution to adopt a single integrated judicial system with various provincial divisions. (Whilst not explicitly stated this would involve abolishing the labour court system as a special court for labour matters).*
Linked to this would be the removal of Nedlac’s role in the appointment or designation of labour judges.* The Constitutional Court should replace the Supreme Court of Appeals as the highest court for all matters.
* Cosatu remains committed to the position that the labour courts should be retained as a specialised court. Including the retention of Nedlac’s role in the appointment system.
* Also calls for review of the composition of the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) to include organised labour and community representative. This would allow these structures to also participate in the process of development of judicial training programmes and a judicial complaints mechanism.
With the exception of the proposal to make the Constitutional Court the highest court, there is considerable divergence between Cosatu and ANC in this respect.
Use of Force During Demonstrations
Draft ANC Resolutions
Cosatu Resolutions
Additional comments
* “Unequivocal condemnation†of the use of force during public demonstrations and mass protests.
The 9th Congress:* reiterated the right of workers to demonstrate and picket and that the police be trained to deal with crowd control in a peaceful manner.* condemned police brutality during peaceful demonstrations, and called for an immediate stop to unnecessarily violent police response to these situations and the arresting of leaders during marches.
* Resolved to campaign for the democratisation of the process of applying for gatherings and marches, including removing the powers of municipalities to unilaterally withdraw the right of workers to gather or march in the course of a strike.
* There is considerable divergence between the two positions about where the responsibility lies in respect of violence during protest action.
* The ANC position takes no responsibility for common (proven) cases where workers/ demonstrators have been provoked or also where police have fired in peaceful and/or retreating demonstrators.
* Also to be noted in this respect is the move to revise and significantly extend the restrictions of national key points legislation.
Source
Numsa News