Cosatu: Let's build on World Cup success
The Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) hopes to rope all sectors of society into maintaining the standards set during the Soccer World Cup, it said on Wednesday.
“The bar has been set very high. South Africa would be correct to demand ...
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Cosatu had drawn up a declaration of commitment to maintain the current levels of unity and confront the problems faced by the country after the World Cup, he said.
It hoped to unite South Africa behind these goals and would approach the government, business, civil society, faith-based organisations and traditional leaders to commit themselves to the goals.
“... We have seen what you can do ... We want to see these better standards all the way,” said Vavi.
“We demand that the judiciary should work as efficiently every day ... We demand from ourselves that workers adopt the same attitude as the past four weeks ... We demand that government leads from the front.”
The declaration includes a new economic growth and development path to address unemployment, poverty and inequality.
It also makes a commitment to improve the country’s education and health systems and to act decisively against corruption, and the misuse of state power and resources.
Concern
Cosatu president Sdumo Dlamini expressed concern that plans to implement the national health insurance were “taking a back seat” and hoped the government would resuscitate them.
Vavi said Cosatu was in talks with Public Service and Administration Minister Richard Baloyi about a campaign to change the work ethic in the public service.
“We do recognise that many public servants work hard ... but there is a minority that regrettably continues with the work ethic that demonstrates a careless attitude and in some instances contempt for our people and the elderly,” Vavi said.
He said Cosatu also wanted to see political “will and vigour” in delivering to the poorest of the poor.
“We demand more decisive and visionary leadership. The period of own goals and foot-in-the-mouth must belong to the past.
“Leadership must at all times, irrespective of whether there are visitors or not, act in an exemplary fashion,” he said.
Vavi said “no resistance” was anticipated from Cosatu’s alliance partner, the African National Congress, adding that the issues in the declaration had already been raised with the ruling party.
He hailed the Soccer World Cup as a “psychological triumph” for the country.
“It has instilled an unprecedented feeling of national pride and self-esteem,” he said. The event had been the ultimate birthday present for former president Nelson Mandela, who celebrates his 92nd birthday on Sunday.—Sapa
