As Cosatu marks 39 years of existence, the state of organised labour in South Africa is a far cry from its historic role in defeating apartheid. The formation of the Government of National Unity (GNU) has exposed deep fractures in the ANC-SACP-Cosatu Alliance, leaving the working class increasingly vulnerable to neoliberal policies
Is the Bank governor’s approach to interest rates too dogmatic? Should the SARB mandate be expanded to help the country address the crisis of poverty, unemployment and inequality? Can the SARB be redeemed? the writer asks.
The municipal unions have been vocal in pointing out corruption in municipalities because when the municipal bosses run short of money as a result of poor financial management and corruption, they run to the bargaining chamber to apply for an exemption from implementing wage agreements, the writer says.
Next to the ANC which disastrously lost its parliamentary majority seats, the EFF suffered the greatest loss as its 9% share of the votes was reduced to 2% in KwaZulu-Natal thus creating a crisis of viability and longevity for this once promising youthful party, the writer says.
OPINION: The EFF should not play games with the political emotions and hopes of the South African youth, especially the black working-class youth. It should not raise its hopes about a future of socialism and then do what the ANC did.
From the perspective of the working class and the poor, the question is whether the ANC-EFF coalitions that are taking South African local government by storm will indeed lead to the emancipation of the masses from all forms of exploitation and oppression.
OPINION: The crisis of the ANC as a political party, government and movement is that its failures have turned substantial sections of all classes against it.
Hundreds of thousands of black workers suffered extended exposure to silica dust when digging gold at the behest of South African mining capital.
OPINION: A strong, united public sector strike is necessary to challenge the state and to restore hope in the power of collective struggle behind a vision of social justice for all, writes Trevor Ngwane.
OPINION: South Africa is a developmental state that is tasked primarily with rolling back the injustices of the past in its quest to create a better life for all, writes Dr Trevor Ngwane.
OPINION: It is no exaggeration to say that the economy was on the brink of implosion, including the spectre of empty shelves in supermarkets this festive season, billions of profits lost by mining and agricultural exporters of primary goods, shortages of petrol and aviation fuel, writes Dr Trevor Ngwane.
OPINION: It is time to fight for a new Cosatu, a new union movement that is militant, democratic, based on the needs of the working class, worker-controlled and independent of ANC capitalist politics, writes Dr Trevor Ngwane.
OPINION: We will accept no more excuses, Mr Mantashe. Now is the time to put social justice and climate justice to the fore. And profits to the rear, writes Dr Trevor Ngwane.
OPINION: Freedom of speech and the preservation of historical memory emerged victorious in the court battle between AfriForum and the EFF, writes Dr Trevor Ngwane.
OPINION: The Spirit of Marikana is the determination, organisation and collective action of ordinary working-class people fighting for their needs, writes Dr Trevor Ngwane.
OPINION: South Africa, more than any other country in the world, is unlikely to create jobs in the foreseeable future. The Titanic is going down, and the first-class passengers are hoarding the lifeboats for themselves, writes Dr Trevor Ngwane.
We tell you that you are free, that we fought to make you free, but your life and your eyes tell you something else, writes Dr Trevor Ngwane.
