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Press statement issued by the Congress of South African Trade Unions.
To receive future press statements go to http://gate.cosatu.org.za/mailman/listinfo/press
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COSATU congratulates workers and organisations on success of the national stayaway August 29, 2001 COSATU congratulates its members and other workers, and the SACP, SANCO, NACTU, COSAS, SASCO, SUCA and TAC, all of which supported the stayaway to protest privatisation. The action is already a resounding success. Together, we have sent a clear message that the current policy on privatisation is not acceptable to the majority of our people, and must be changed.
At least two thirds of all workers throughout the country participated in the action, uniting over five million workers. Most industrial areas were effectively closed down. ¤
Mpumalanga and the Eastern Cape both reported that 90 per cent of workers participated in the stayaway. At least 150 000 workers took part in rallies around the country. The biggest rallies were in Nelspruit and Johannesburg, with over 25 000 participants each.
As we anticipated, the action did not have a negative affect on the World Conference Against Racism. Below, we provide an updated version of the detailed regional reports that we released earlier.
We expect even greater success tomorrow. We will hold marches in Johannesburg, Pretoria, Durban and Cape Town, as well as in most smaller towns. In Pretoria, we expect the government to provide a formal response to the memorandum that we presented to them last week.
We wish to emphasise again that the action is protected for all workers, whether or not they belong to COSATU. That means that employers cannot take disciplinary action against any worker who participates.
Details of tomorrow's actions in the metropolitan areas are:
Pretoria: March from Brown Street to the Union Buildings. Speaker: Gwede Mantashe, NUM. We expect government to respond formally to our earlier memorandum.
Johannesburg: March from Library Gardens to Premier's Office in Simmons Street. Speaker: Zwelinzima Vavi, COSATU
Durban: March from Curries Fountain to City Hall. Speaker: Joyce Phekane, COSATU
Cape Town: March from Kaizergracht to Parliament. Speaker: Ebrahim Patel, SACTWU
East London: March from North End to Department of Labour. Speaker: Mthuthuzeli Tom, NUMSA
Port Elizabeth: March from Pick `n Pay to Department of Labour. Speaker: Senzeni Zokwane, NUM
Regional reports on the stayaway
Eastern Cape as a whole: 90 per cent. This is the highest for any province.
Bizana/Flagstaff/Lusikisiki: 90 per cent stayaway. Only the shops are open.
Port Elizabeth and East London: 90 per cent. Most workers in Volkswagen and Delta are on strike. Willy Madisha (COSATU) addressed a rally in Port Elizabeth that overflowed the hall, and Mthuthuzeli Tom (NUMSA) addressed a demonstration in East London.
Alrode: All the major companies have closed.
Durban: 60 per cent participation, with no public transport in the city centre. Toyota is back on strike.
Isithebe industrial area and Richards Bay: 65 to 70 per cent participation. Bus companies have stopped operating.
Pietermaritzburg: 75 per cent participation. Rally of 5000 addressed by Zwelinzima Vavi. A lack of transport prevented many workers from joining. The schools are mostly closed.
Port Shepstone: 90 per cent, with a successful demonstration.
Nelspruit: 95 per cent, with over 30 000 people at the march addressed by Fikile Majola (NEHAWU).
Kimberley: 60 per cent. The rally was addressed by Seleboho Kiti (CWU).
Bloemfontein and Welkom: 50 per cent. Rally in Bloemfontein, addressed by Mduduzi Mbongwe (SACCAWU) is well attended despite the rain. NUM has bussed people in for the rally in Welkom, addressed by Bheki Ntshalintshali (COSATU).
Upington: 80 per cent. Rally addressed by Roger Ronnie (SAMWU).
Pretoria/Rosslyn: 75 per cent; BMW open, but all other major companies are not operating.
Cape Town: 70 per cent stayaway. Taxis are not running. Heavy rain has affected participation in the demonstration, which involved 10 000 people and was addressed by Ebrahim Patel (SACTWU).
North West Coast of the Western Cape: 50 per cent stayaway.
Karoo: 50 per cent stayaway.
Pietersburg: 95 per cent stayaway.
Phalaborwa: 100 per cent stayaway. 10 000 participants in the rally.
Johannesburg: 65 per cent stayaway. 20 000 participants in rally in CBD.
Rustenburg: 95 per cent stayaway. Huge rally. Nylstroom: 75 per cent stayaway.
Below is the detailed programme of activities Thursday 30 August, the second day of the two-day general stayaway organised by COSATU to protest against privatisation.
MARCHES
JOHANNESBURG
>From Library Gardens to Premier's office at 30 Simmonds St.
10.00 Speaker: Zwelinzima Vavi
PRETORIA
>From Brown Street to Union Buildings 10.00 Speaker:
Gwede Mantashe, NUM
CAPE TOWN
>From KaizerKraght (Darling Street) to Parliament Speaker:
Ebrahim Patel, SACTWU
DURBAN
>From Curries Fountain to City Hall 9.00 Speaker: Joyce
Pekane, COSATU Deputy President
PIETERSBURG
>From SABC Park 10.00 Speaker: Willy Madisha,
COSATU President
VEREENIGING
>From Vereeniging Show Ground to Labour Department,
Merriman Street 8.00 Speaker: Lindelwa Dunjwa
KLERKSDORP
>From Shoprite Checkers to Labour Department 8.00
Speaker: Welile Nolingo, CEPPWAWU
MAFIKENG
>From Montsiwa Stadium, Mmabatho to Labour Department
8.00 Speaker: Tom Ngobeni, SAMWU
KIMBERLY
>From the Arena 9.00 Speaker: Seleboho Kiti, CWU
UPINGTON
>From Stapin Open Ground 9.00 Speaker to be confirmed
BLOEMFONTEIN
>From Manguang (Pax Nova) 8.00 Speaker: Mduduzi
Mbongwe, SACCAWU
WELKOM
>From Phillip Smith Hall 9.00 Speaker: Bheki Ntshalintshali,
COSATU Deputy General Secretary
EAST LONDON
>From North End Stadium to Department of Labour 9.00
Speaker: Mtutuzeli Tom, NUMSA
PORT ELIZABETH
>From Pick `n Pay to Department of Labour 9.00
Speaker: Senzeni Zokwane, NUM
UMTATA
>From Freedom Square to Department of Labour 9.00
Speaker:Thulas Nxesi, SADTU
QUEENSTOWN
>From Beer Hall to Department of Labour 9.00 Speaker:
Pasco Dyani, CEPPWAWU
MID-KAROO
>From Kroondale Swimming Pool to Graaf Reinet Department
of Labour 9.00 Speaker: Xola Phakathi, SATAWU
KOKSTAD
Rom Town Hall to Department of Labour 9.00 Speaker:
Abbey Witbooi, POPCRU
RALLIES (All at 10.00 except Secunda and Kriel)
SECUNDA Embalenhle 9.00 Speaker: Sizamile Sotaka - NEHAWU
PIET RETIEF Magudulela Stadium
OGIES Phola Stadium
BURGERSFORT Spar Centre
NELSPRUIT Kanyamazane Stadium Speaker: Fikile Majola, NEHAWU
KRIEL Sports Ground 9.00: Speaker: Christmas Tsolo, CEPPWAWU
REMINDER Media Conference You are invited to a media conference to hear a report and assessment of Cosatu's two-day national stayaway. Date: Thursday 30 August Time: 3 pm (15.00) Venue: Cosatu House, 1 Leyds Street, cnr Biccard, Braamfontein
Patrick Craven and Moloto Mothapo Acting COSATU Spokespersons
patrick at cosatu.org.za 082-821-7456 339-4911
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Contact 082-821-7456 Patrick Craven or Moloto Mothapo for further comment.
Visit the COSATU web site at http://www.cosatu.org.za/press/latest.html for copies of our most recent press statements. For the full archive go to: http://www.cosatu.org.za/press/archive.html.
Get free e-mail for union members. Visit http://www.union.org.za and sign up now! It's free!
COSATU takes steps to ensure that any attachments are free from viruses. You should, however, carry out your own virus check before opening any attachment. COSATU accepts no liability for loss or damage caused by software viruses.
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