When Numsa president, Mtutuzeli Tom heard he had been deployed to speak in rural town Port St Johns for May Day celebrations, he almost phoned to complain!
But once he was there, he realised that we have much to learn from these small towns. Although union membership in the area is dominated by teachers, “the entire working class was there,” says Tom. “They came on foot, in buses, by taxi, on donkeys, tractors and trailers.”
When it came to the long political speeches, the meeting goers “listened attentively, there were no ups and downs, no cellphones ringing.” There was also a whole range of cultural activities – singing, African dancing. “It was a very special day, you could see on their faces how happy they were.”
“At one stage I thought why don’t we extend May Day for the whole week! It’s very rare to see workers putting such smiles on their faces!” Across the country in Port Shepstone, Doris Nqetho reports that although mobilisation was done on the week-end before May Day, 500 turned up to the rally in this coastal town better known for its beach and fishing.
Satawu organiser Dumisani Nyawo thanked all affiliates for giving their support to the security guard strikers. He said that many security employers had resigned from the army and intelligence. “They give peanuts to our members.” Scrutiny needed to be done by the department of labour.
Cosatu chairperson Bongani Dlamini thanked all for voting for the ANC. He hoped that “we will now see developments in our communities and in our companies.”
Sihle Nzimakwe, Cosatu provincial secretary said that, “as students we support workers because they are our brothers, sisters, and our parents. We are the workers of tomorrow.” Ruth Bhengu, Hibiscus Coast deputy mayor, promised that the council would “take the mandate from the bottom to the top”, not from the top to the bottom like before.
June 16 2006 Aubrey ka Saki
June 16 2006 is the 30 year anniversary of a bitter struggle that was waged byBlack youths for recognition as human beings. The current youths must know our Sour taste of life. Which is why in their schools and public libraries their textbooks Must bear our relevant history.The Jan van Riebeeck stories and theirDromedaris, Reiger, Goedehoop must be selected for those who feel that way which Is why writers, story-tellers and authors should produce relevant stuff to be screened On our tvs to replace the distasteful American soap operas. Which is why poetry More than any form of writing, should chime with black rhythm evolution.June 16, for 30 years now, we will certainly forgive, but never forget. Dare we?
June 16 – looking back! Aubrey ka Saki
June 16, 1976 could not have come later as the winds of change had been simmering all over the South Western Townships [Soweto]. After the events of June 16, cynics attempted but failed to change Soweto to So-where-to for their own agendas.
However, after June 16 the revolution was heightened from Cape Town to Cairo and all this started because of the hard driving black youths of South Africa who stood up against all odds to be counted, as they could no longer tolerate Afrikaans being the medium of instruction in their education.
Thus all thumbs up for student leader Tietsie Mashinini, first president of the Soweto Students Representative Council, who bravely stirred a revolution that never was stopped by the then racist regime, enforced by draconian laws, and perpetrated by ruthless army officers.
A million thanks to 16-year old Hector Petersen and many unsung heroes who surrendered their young spirited souls for a good cause, because merely 18 years later liberation of South Africa and the freedom of the people was attained.
Yes, indeed every one was freed. Blacks were free from apartheid and racism. Whites were freed from uncertainty about their future and from fear of the unknown. The so-called swart gevaar they were so misled around by the PW Botha’s of this world was buried six feet underground on April 27, 1994 through democracy.
Looking back, South African society can now sit back and relax with no fear of shattering machine guns day and night. There is peace and friendship. The doors of learning are open to all. Every soul has a right to vote. Houses, small as they are, get built and they are for free. The Group Areas Act has vanished. Cliff Saunders, an apartheid mouthpiece, is nowhere to be found. Debra Patta and Nkepile Mabuse have taken over, with controversial questioning to our democratic leaders. Seemingly, every Tom, Dick or Mary can now speak out, so express yourself.
Whoever gave orders on June 16, 1976 for the shootings, the response is: “look now how proudly we are as one Rainbow Nation.” The people are governing. The black youths’ freedom chant, ‘toyi-toyi’ has pumped real red blood that produced real revolutionaries out of real black wombs.
The message was clear, ‘freedom now’. The black youths’ courage and determination were not to be marginalized. Enough was enough. The slogan, ‘to hell with Afrikaans’ was by no means racist. Frankly speaking, where the hell in the world of education would you end up with Afrikaans, difficult as it is? So far so good for the best to come, as sought by the black youths of South Africa.