Vuyo Mvoko
Tension between labour and the government broke into the open this week, culminating in a wave of wildcat strikes that hit three parastatals up for privatisation — Autonet, South African Airways, and Telkom.
The South African Railways and Harbour Workers’ Union (Sarhwu), which organised the nationwide strikes on Wednesday, warned: “If they (the government) are not prepared to listen, we will not hesitate to take decisive action.”
Sarhwu’s anger stems from the announcement made by Deputy President Thabo Mbeki last week, which revealed the government’s plans to sell off parts of Telkom, South African Airways, Sun Air, Transkei Airways and Autonet.
Addressing a rally attended by about a thousand members at Johannesburg International Airport on Wednesday, Sarhwu president Nelson Ndinisa said: “This is a clear message we are sending to the government … As workers of South Africa we will not allow anybody, I repeat anybody, to privatise.”
The union will not trust the government again, Ndinisa said, accusing it of acting like “the previous National Party governments which took decisions on our behalf”. He told the workers: “The onus is on them now to prove to us that they stand by our agreement.”
The wildcat strikes broke out after organised labour and government reached an agreement this week that they were committed “to a process of reorganisation and restructuring of state assets” in line with the aims of the Reconstruction and Development Programme.
A team of six delegates from each side was will be set up urgently to negotiate a “National Framework Agreement” to govern the restructuring process.
Cosatu general secretary Sam Shilowa explained in his keynote address at the Sarwhu rally that the government would consult labour before making any moves to privatise.
Shilowa told the workers that this agreement was clinched after organised labour protested vehemently at an earlier heavy-handed approach to the issue by Deputy President Thabo Mbeki. He said Mbeki had informed labour “in a briefing” during a meeting on Thursday last week that he would be making the announcement in the next three hours.
“There is no debate on whether Cosatu supports transformation, reorganisation and restructuring,” Shilowa said, “because we want an efficient system and to root out
Cosatu’s main contention, Shilowa said, was with the way the government handled the issue. “As workers your rights are sacrificed on the altar of profits.”
“You must remain in a state of readiness, so that when we say Kubo! Ningene kubo — Hit them! You must hit them.”