The halls of Gallagher Estate in Midrand, Johannesburg, were on Tuesday packed with delegates from different workers’ unions, thrashing out issues on HIV/Aids and unemployment, which had been raised by union leaders.
Though reluctant to talk to the media, delegates at the Congress of South African Trade Unions’ (Cosatu) national congress discussed among themselves the HIV/Aids issue that was encouraged by the speech of president of Cosatu, Willie Madisha.
Madisha said that the HIV pandemic — which is killing about 920 people a day — can only be changed if all the unions, the Treatment Action Campaign and the government work together.
”HIV can be conquered by a shared commitment by all sectors to encourage prevention and behavioural change … Access to treatment should be accelerated.”
Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka agreed with Madisha, and said that Cosatu, as the biggest component of South Africa’s organised labour movement, should play a larger role in this regard. ”I invite [Cosatu] to do this within Sanac [South African National Aids Council], at the workplace and in communities at large,” she said
Writer and HIV/Aids activist Lucky Mazibuko told the congress about how a combination of good nutrition and antiretrovirals (ARV) — which he only started taking three months ago after being HIV-positive for 16 years — had saved his life.
He said that three months ago his CD4 count was 81 and that at present it is 300. He also said his viral load is undetectable.
”Therefore, when I emphasise the issue of nutrition and ARVs working in conjunction, I speak from experience. I can’t survive on treatment alone, I can’t survive on nutrition alone,” he said.
Madisha also told the 3 000 delegates that a mobile facility for voluntary counselling and testing for HIV had been parked outside the conference centre since Monday.
But one-and-a-half days into the congress, no one had volunteered for testing.
Sister Irene, who was the nurse manning the mobile clinic, said that many people had come on Monday for counselling and information on HIV/Aids, but no one had come for testing. She said she was hoping that the leaders of the unions would get tested at the mobile clinic and that others would follow. She said that the congress focused on Aids on Tuesday, and that this could perhaps encourage people to get tested.
A woman wearing an ANC Women’s League overall, who wished to remain anonymous, said that HIV/Aids was the biggest challenge facing women workers today, and that Cosatu could help by working together with the government.
The issues of unemployment and job losses were portrayed effectively by the South African Clothing and Textile Workers’ Union (Sactwu), the Commercial, Catering and Allied Workers’ Union and the National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union.
The three unions marched through the hall carrying strings covered with pieces of fabric — the pieces representing jobs that have been lost in the textile industry. According to Sactwu, the number of job losses since 2003 is 67 000.
”I just want my life to be good … Cosatu will help the people,” said an unemployed member of Cosatu. She said she was currently learning and there are plenty jobs she wants.
Far away from the buzz and singing of the crowds, Bennerd, a Damelin student, was guarding the cars outside as a part-time job. When asked why he wasn’t inside Gallagher Estate with the other delegates, he said: ”If I was inside, your car would get stolen.
”I do have hope that Cosatu will provide me with a better future,” he said.