Mapeto calls the shotsAubrey ka Saki
The old Ibhayi municipal offices became the centre of a trade union lecture when ex-MK field marshal of selected battalions, Fieldmore Mapeto, now Numsa Eastern Cape education officer, announced a programme to ground the talk of the black townships, in the Mbuyiselo Ngwenda Brigade, in honour of the maestro.
Mapeto, robust, mean and inspiring, is now set to train a new blend of young combatants, to form the future leadership of Numsa. These fire-brands will be the nucleus of leadership when the current great names will no longer be there.
“There’s no better call than to fight for the betterment of the working class and the poor. The dream of cde Mbuyi will be made a reality,” sounded Mapeto, now away from limpet-mines, mortar bombs and AK 47 arms and ammunition. Listeners were told that the Mbuyi Ngwenda vision will come from within the folds of the ANC, SACP and Numsa metalworkers.
Metalworkers we were told, “are the real vanguards of society. The yoke of heavy industries, lies squarely upon their shoulders. They are the ones to flex their muscles to gain their demands,” said the former military but still militant incumbent, Mapeto.
“Personnel largely associated and known of cliques, naked reactionaries and counter-revolutionaries will not be considered suitable for such a programme. They will be shown no mercy. They will have to find new bases for themselves as homes,” sounded the former MK commanding voice, cutting across the walls and surroundings of the old Ibhayi council premises.
That event will never be forgotten by the serious activists who gathered there.
Continental Tyre – facing facts
On June 16 shop stewards and workers from Continental Tyre sacrificed their holiday to talk about the problems in their factory. Aubrey ka Saki was there.
Workers spoke out about their shop stewards and shop stewards told of intolerant workers towards the union. It was not pleasing to see and hear branches of the same tree almost at each others’ throats. The situation was reminiscent of the Volkswagen upheavals that saw shop stewards’ homes petrol-bombed by night vigilantes.
But all was not lost thanks to the timely intervention of Numsa president Mtutuzeli Tom and other distinguished speakers like regional secretary, Irvin Jim, chairperson Phumzile Nodongwe, PE local chairperson iron lady, Thembi Twani and the ever hard-driving regional educator, ex-MK field marshal, Fieldmore Mapeto.
Tom wasted no time in revealing the missing link between shop stewards and the membership. The frequent or dragging absence of shop stewards from the workplace is a key factor that causes discontent amongst workers. Delayed reports and untimely feedback frustrates membership. A long-standing shop steward at Daimler Chrysler, Tom spoke of his fellow workers’ unhappiness towards him when out of the plant on union business. His constituency wants him there at all costs. They want to be prioritized. His other Numsa activities can wait. In his absence, matters go astray. Our president finds himself having to fight like hell when present so that his impact is felt to those harsh supervisors even when not around. That is the character of shop steward that he is.
“To the members that you represent,” Tom noted, “never tell a lie as that will usher in false hopes. Never create high expectations. Be the one they have known to have elected.”
“Mthura” as Tom is commonly called, made it no secret that “every union belongs to the workers, nobody else”. “Numsa is us as workers. Every one of us is accountable to the union. Our membership is the shop stewards’ level of responsibility. A true shop steward is one who ceases to be his self, and one who becomes a servant of those who elected him for their rights and benefits as workers.”
Tom warned the membership that they should not tire of exercising a spirit of tolerance towards the shop stewards who are also human beings and cannot be expected to produce miracles. “However,” the president cautioned, “shop stewards must stand firm on union principles.” On this there was no compromise.
Violent marches – what must be done?Philip Sapud
As Satawu tries to pay massive damages claims incurred during the security guards strike that have so far reached R2,8m and are still climbing, the debate is on about who is to blame for the violence.
“˜The notion of agent provocateurs is a strong possibility,” says Cosatu Western Cape regional secretary Tony Ehrenreich. “The people I saw breaking windows of both cars and shops were not looting but were mainly trying to create mayhem and give the cops an excuse to act. The effect of this destruction of property merely served to redirect the attention of the strike from the wage issues to issues that would discredit the legitimate demands of security workers.”
“There was however also a criminal element that at different points used the march as a cover for their criminality.”
Ehrenreich concedes that “Satawu was not adequately prepared to respond to the difficulties that could arise at the march. As unions we must appreciate that in the event of a march we are responsible for the safety of people and plan more thoroughly.”
And these responsibilities have wider implications as Cosatu found out when its request for permission to hold its jobs and poverty march on May 18 was declined. In this case the violence-torn strike forged ANC and DA unity in denying Cosatu permission. Analysing the strike, Cosatu’s May CEC condemned the banning of workers’ demonstrations saying it stripped “workers of their right to protest”.
However, it also resolved that affiliates should train marshals to be more effective at crowd control and to increase their numbers. It condemned the use of “violence from all sides, whether from the police or workers.” As Ehrenreich explains, “it can’t be correct for workers to kill other workers in pursuit of wage demands as this only undermines the public support needed to win such public interest battles.”
Ehrenreich further challenges unions to re-examine their tactics saying that “some unions also promote violence as a quick fix when they are not adequately prepared for the battle ahead.” Meanwhile at the recent Cosatu CEC, affiliates voted to try and help Satawu pay the claims. Already Numsa has donated R50 000 to the union.
If you would like to support Satawu, pay the money into the following account:Satawu SalariesStandard Bank Carlton CentreA/c number: 001169882Branch number: 002305
May they seek to live up to our idealsAyanda Billie
ROBERT Mangaliso Sobukwe once said, “True leadership demands complete subjugation of self, absolute honesty, integrity and uprightness of character, courage and fearlessness and, above all, a consuming love for one’s people.” These words came into mind when VWSA workers were electing a new council of shop-stewards.
According to some workers, shop-stewards are too busy doing nothing. This is what they said: “They are not fighting for our rights anymore, they are too understanding to the management. They forget one thing that those people in the offices are always protecting the interests of the company. They should do the same thing and protect workers’ interests. If not them who will stand for us?” asked Garth McDonald with 18 years service in VW.
Monde Mgwanza who has more than 20 years service said, “If you want to be upgraded to a better grade and pay level you have to go and be tortured in those ABET classes. I think that thing is unnecessary for us workers who have served this company well. Some things should be given to us long service workers as a remuneration. These are the things that our shop-stewards should deeply look at.”
“It is small things that make other workers not to have faith in our shop-stewards. Cases like toilets and water facilities that we frequently ask them to look at. If you can’t serve your constituency well I think you need a vote of no confidence. Numsa is not getting new members like before and you wonder why?” said Nicolene Tait, a worker with 8 years service in VW. u-Bawo Nontshinga emphatically said, “They must be changed because they are too comfortable in those positions and they forget their duties to us as workers. The only thing we need is people who can think, not loud mouth in our meetings. This is a new era, and then we must also change our strategies of toyi-toyi otherwise these Baases will crucify us with the law”.
“I hope the man and women that we have elected now will remember us. They were here in the lines with us. We don’t ask for much, we want their representation in all matters that affect us as workers. The other thing that eats me is the issue of a package, we would like to have a living package like other companies that take care of their retired workers,” said Garth Human.
Shop-stewards should be the embodiment of workers’ aspirations. They must give the light, the masses will find the way.