NEHAWU KZN Provincial Executive Committee Statement
Wednesday July 13, 2022
The National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union [NEHAWU] in KwaZulu-Natal convened its ordinary session of the Provincial Executive Committee [PEC] on the 07 - 08 July 2022. The Provincial Executive Committee considered the international correlation of class forces; political and socio-economic situations and organizational matters affecting our members and the workers in general.
The meeting took place few days after our national union celebrated 35 Years of struggle for transformation and service to our members.
The PEC was convened after successful ANC and SACP congresses or conferences in different levels and congratulated all the leaders of the union that were elected in these congresses in line with the long standing decision of the union to swell the ranks of the ANC and the SACP. The PEC took place a few days before the 15th National Congress of the South African Community Party [SACP].
International Front
The PEC discussed the international situation and agreed that the world has entered a protracted period of turmoil and crisis at all levels, which is being expressed by a crisis in world relations, wars, austerity, increasing misery and obscene accumulation of wealth in a few hands. The PEC noted a sudden eruption of the class struggle, insurrectionary movements and revolutions in one country after another, as the objective conditions are forcing millions of people to seek solutions to the intolerable burden of capitalism.
On the going Ukraine/Russia war; the PEC made an assessment of the situation and its impact on food and fuel prices as the global capitalist economy enters a likely prolonged period of stagflation. In the first instance, Ukraine and Russia are responsible for a large proportion of the world's food supply. Together they produce 12 percent of the world's tradable calories, but they only have 2 percent of the global population between them. Their grain exports in particular are a crucial lifeline to countries in the Middle East, but the crisis is having an impact on prices worldwide.
The PEC noted the developments in Swaziland; Cuba; Venuezela; Zimbabwe and other countries and reaffirmed our previous resolutions on principled international solidarity support for struggles of the people of Swaziland, Western Sahara, Palestine, Cuba, Venezuela, Mozambique, Cyprus, the Basque Country and for the struggle of the Kurdish people.
The PEC congratulated the World Federation of Trade Unions [WFTU] for convening the 18th World Congress and further wished the former president well on his re-election as the President of WFTU.
Political Situation
The PEC took place after the province had convened a provincial political commission to initiate internal discussions on the Left Popular Front, the state of the NDR, the overall balance of forces and the strategic way forward.
The PEC noted that year 2022, is the year of congresses and conferences of the Alliance Components, which dictates to the union to mount a massive ideological and political work by campaigning and lobbying for the progressive outcomes of the congresses and conferences favourable to the working people and the working class particularly at the helm of the leadership of the ANC.
At the same time, the union should work through the federation, COSATU and vanguard party, SACP for a popular left front which places at the centre the interests of the working class thus creating the moment for the working class towards its total emancipation.
The PEC re-affirmed our longstanding positions on the need for a reconfigured alliance as a practical thing rather than only paper agreement.
Socio-Economic Assessment
For the South African Working Class, the current reality has become one of being battered by succession of the crises; often with the latest one striking before any real recovery from the previous one is evident. We have experienced the first recession and mass retrenchments between the periods of 2017-19. This was followed in 2020 by COVI-19 pandemic and the great lockdown recession.
Even before exiting that, the working class and the poor are seeing their living standards further impacted by sharp rising fuel; food and even interest rates. A Year Ago, there was the July Unrest that killed more than 300 people and the destruction of the economic activities through massive looting in the province. On top of that the province was battered by floods. The lack of service to our infrastructure particularly the drainage systems also created more problems.
The PEC resolved that working together with COSATU and her affiliates, there is an urgent need to roll a massive mass action in fighting against these increases that aren’t favorable to the working class.
On ESKOM; the PEC noted the ongoing crisis in ESKOM include stage 6 load shading and re-affirmed the congress decision to reject the agencification, unbundling, privatisation, of ESKOM and other state entities and call for a rolling mass-action programme as part of the tasks of the Left Popular Front. Further to that the PEC supports the call made by all progressive forces that both the CEO and Minister must resign with immediate effect.
On Health; the PEC resolved to launch the Public Health Service delivery campaign on the 20th of July 2022 at Inkosi Albert Luthuli Central Hospital - responding to the crisis facing the health sector in the province which includes amongst other: high vacancy rate, inadequate equipment, state of infrastructure, health and safety matters, absorption of Community Health Workers and insourcing of outsourced services.
On Post-Schooling education and training; the PEC resolved that there is an urgent need to convene an urgent bilateral meeting with SASCO and YCLSA to discuss the state of higher education in the province and fight against austerity in post-schooling education sector.
Organizational Assessment.
The National Union have declared Year 2022 as the Year of Branch Congresses. We agreed that our national programme of action of branch congresses must ensure that workplace and branch visits become a permanent feature. The PEC noted and appreciated the work done on branch congresses and wished all the newly elected shop-stewards well in their task of leading the union.
The PEC noted the report on the ongoing 2022/23 Salary Negotiations that are currently taking place in the Public Service Coordinating Bargaining Council [PSCBC] and resolved to the convene the membership meetings as part of reporting back and mandate taking. Equally; the PEC rejected the 3% salary of public office bearers which is by far above 2% that is proposed for the workers.
The PEC further noted and appreciated the work done to conclude the wage negotiations in other sectors in particular the entities and private social development.
Issued by NEHAWU KwaZulu-Natal Secretariat Office
For more information, please contact: Ayanda Zulu (Provincial Secretary) at 081 758 5199 or email: Ayandaz@nehawu.org.za or
Ntokozo Nxumalo (Provincial Deputy Secretary) at 0815255983 or email: Ntokozo@Nehawu.org.za Visit https://www.nehawu.org.za