SAFTU supports the demands of the United Eastern Cape Community Healthcare Workers for permanent employment at a living wage
Press Statement. 15 July 2020
On Monday 06 July at 9am, Eastern Cape Community Health Care Workers together with other civic organizations handed over a Memorandum to the Eastern Cape Department of Health (ECDOH), to demand permanent employment and a living wage. Instead of receiving their demands, the ECDoH sent the police to meet the Community Health Workers. At 5pm, eight hours after the start of their protest and their expressed determination to occupy the Dukhumbane building, did the SG, Dr Thobile Mbengashe condescend to receive their memorandum.
The United Eastern Cape Community Health Care Workers want an answer to their demand for permanent employment
Press Statement. 14 July 2029
On Monday 06 July The United Eastern Cape Community Health Care Workers together with other Civic organizations handed over a Memorandum to the Eastern Cape Health Department. We delivered this memorandum to SG Thobile Mbengashe demanding amongst other things permanent employment for all community healthcare workers.
However, after all this, no one was there to receive the memorandum including MEC Sindiswa Gomba. Until we as United CHWs were adamant and clear that we will occupy the offices EC DoH until they come to receive our memorandum. After we as United Community Health Care workers arrived there at 08:00 am, SG Mbengashe came to receive the memorandum at 5pm, this after by the way the United Health Care workers promised to occupy those offices until they come receive our memorandum.
Hamba Kahle Tembinkosi Qondela
Thembinkosi Qondela, a longstanding socialist activist, died this week due to COVID-19 related complications. He was a lifelong activist for social justice. Not many people who knew him realise that he worked on the mines for a year in the early 1990s where he came to understand the need to defend workers’ rights and the importance of health and safety at work. That experience, along with others might have been the spark to turn on his calling to make justice, equity and worker’s rights a reality. After moving to Cape Town, he became involved in various progressive socialist organisations, including serving as Assistant Regional Secretary for the Western Cape Unemployed Workers Movement, part-time assistant librarian at both Khanya College and the Trade Union Library and Education Centre, and as Resource Coordinator and then Assistant Researcher at the International Labour Research and Information Group (ILRIG).
CWAO office trashed and burnt
Statement by the Casual Workers Advice Office, 3 September
A wave of violence is sweeping over South Africa targeting first of all women and people perceived as foreigners. This sickening racist xenophobia, sexism and criminality is a direct result of the current intensification of the historic exploitation of the black working class by white monopoly capitalists and the state – the ultimate enemy.
The immediate struggle now is about survival. Women and so-called foreigners from the rest of Africa are in the forefront, but no member or supporter of the working class can stand aside. There is no neutral ground. Violent sexists and xeno/afrophobes must be stopped.
GIWUSA Condemns the Selling of Clover to Israeli-led Consortium
The Competition Commission of South Africa has approved the sale of Clover to a consortium of companies led by Tel Aviv based Central Bottling Company. The General industry Workers Union of South Africa (GIWUSA) condemns this deal.
GIWUSA will be attending the pre-hearing of the Competition Tribunal on Friday, 2nd August 2019 to appeal to it not to sanction this sale.
