What the speakers said:
Blade Nzimande (SACP):”One of the biggest dangers we face is that as our democracy deepens and consolidates, there might be a mistaken view that as the memory of apartheid recedes, the political role of the working class might be seen to be of less importance.””..economic power still remains with the same old capitalist class” with a rapidly growing black middle class and a “tiny but not insignificant black section of the capitalist class” who are using the “current trajectory of black economic empowerment (BEE) … to advance their own class interests… Our state still essentially remains a capitalist state.”The primary role of trade unions like Numsa was to “defend workers’ interests on the shopfloor”. However, through strikes and the exploitation that workers faced daily at work, workers can develop a broader working class consciousness in which the working class sees itself, as Marx and Engels termed it, as ‘a class for itself’ not a ‘class in itself’.
However this development of working class consciousness was not guaranteed. Building a working class “for itself” where workers realised that the source of their problems was the capitalist system itself, was primarily the role of a communist party. Even so “socialist worker education and mobilisation” should work hand in hand to nurture socialist consciousness amongst workers.
Silumko Nondwangu, Numsa”Working class education as delivered by revolutionary unions like Numsa, with clear class content and form, will play a decisive role in the class struggles in South Africa, and contribute to favourable outcomes of the national democratic revolution, for workers.”
Decisions of the different commissions
On methods:We need:* indicators to tell us whether courses have had an effect on those we have trained and improved evaluation of learners* a learner database so that we can tell which shop stewards have done what course* to encourage a wider group of members and their families to be active in the union eg through poetry festivals, labour film festivals, art, rapping etc* to take our experiences, politics and education beyond the factory gate by building forums, holding panel discussions that bring together workers and faith-based organizations, youth, students, the unemployed on popular political issues so as to share our political/social experiences * to have a campaign to use the local and national media more effectively
On programme content* Education must cover effective trade unionism and raise socialist working class consciousness. * The programme must be structured around political education, economic literacy, gender education, HIV and Aids education, legal education, organisational education/IT, training issues* The programme must cover issues raised in the 4-year plan* We should look into setting up a youth desk in Numsa.
On accreditationAll trade union education must be accredited.
On education and media structures* education structures must be revived at national, regional and local levels* structures must take charge of education and monitor that it is taking place* those involved with media (eg radio, writers) must be incorporated into local/ regional education structures* media structures should target community radio, newspapers and contribute with articles to influence public opinion.
Education and training* education and training should be integrated. A discussion paper will be developed to look at models for integrating the two units.
(Get a copy of the full report and speeches from your local office or e-mail jennyg@numsa.org.za)