Joint Press Statement on the SACP and COSATU Gauteng PEC`s bilateral meeting.

4 July 2011

The South African Communist Party (SACP) and the Congress of the South African Trade Unions (COSATU) Gauteng Province held a bilateral meeting on Sunday, 3rd July 2011 in Johannesburg. This meeting took place following a successful SACP and COSATU National Bilateral meeting and a successful COSATU Central Committee meeting (held on the 27-30 June 2011). The bilateral meeting focused on the following areas:

• Assessment of the 2011 Local government elections;
• Challenges facing the working class and poor;
• Assessment of the state of the alliance in Gauteng province;
• Assessment of the state in the province;
• Development of a joint programme.

The meeting welcomed the overwhelming victory of the ANC in the May 2011 Local Government elections, retaining the control of eleven out of the twelve municipalities (with margins ranging from 55% to 75%). This victory is attributed to a well coordinated alliance elections machinery, especially the SACP Red Brigades and COSATU volunteers. This set a basis to prepare for the 2014 Provincial and National Government Elections hence we need to draw lessons and deliver on the needs of our people.

As we continue to celebrate the election victory, we should remain vigilant and united as the Alliance to address the poor living conditions of the working class that still reflect and bear the features and contradictions of colonialism of a special type.

The meeting identified poverty, unemployment and inequality as major structural challenges facing the working class in Gauteng. Adding to this crisis, the working class is also faced with increased commodity prices such as food, transport, water and electricity. Lately, we also have to face the proposed tolling of Gauteng roads, emanating from the Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project.

The meeting rejected the e-tolling system because of its negative impact on the lives of the working class and the poor in the Province. The parties further agreed to develop a common programme of action to confront the introduction of the e-tolling system. The meeting resolved to call on the South African Government led by the African National Congress and the Alliance to reject this neo-liberal project informed and driven by the profit needs of the tenderpreneurs.

The Bilateral discussed the state of the Alliance in Gauteng and the challenges it faces. We noted the lack of implementation of Alliance programmes and resolutions, in particular the 2010 March Ten Point Plan and the principles underpinning the Alliance Framework Document. We resolved to convene the Alliance Economic Summit to discuss the development trajectory of Gauteng since the dawn of democracy and to identify and expose the class forces benefited from such development trajectory.

We have also the emergence of a strange tendency to attack workers in public, in particular SADTU and SAMWU. We strongly believe that our province should preserve the traditions of the Alliance to avoid public spats and raise whatever a component of the Alliance may have in the proper structures of the Alliance. The meeting further resolved to adopt the following as part of their programme of action.

• The implementation the alliance ten point programme as adopted in March 2010;
• Ensuring that the alliance structures are functioning at all levels;
• Repositioning of the SACP in the province to work closely and intensify ideological work among COSATU affiliates and all progressive formations.
• COSATU to mobilise its constituency to support and participate in the 90th Anniversary Celebrations of the SACP, especially the planned Anniversary Lecture to be addressed by the SACP General Secretary, Comrade Blade Nzimande on the 17 July 2011.

We await in earnest the outcomes of the various investigations on corruption that were conducted in the various municipalities, especially the three Metro`s of Johannesburg, Tshwane and Ekurhuleni. We believe the conclusion of this investigations and the public release of their findings will pave the way for better service delivery following the recent local government elections.

We call on newly elected Mayors to address and improve the working conditions of the workers as a basis to improve service delivery for the broader working class. We also call on the Department of Education to improve the state of education by working closely with SADTU and other progressive components of the mass democratic movement such as COSAS and SASCO.

The bilateral noted the resolution of the NUMSA and CEPPWAWU to embark on a strike action to push for workers demand. The bilateral fully support and endorse the strike action by workers and call upon all the progressive forces to support these workers and their demands are fair and just. COSATU and the SACP will in the course of action mobilize the communities to support the strike action.

Issued on behalf of the SACP and COSATU Gauteng PEC`s by:

1. SACP Gauteng Acting Provincial Secretary Jacob Mamabolo on 082 884 1868
2. COSATU Gauteng Provincial Secretary Dumisani Dakile on 0827271422 and/or
3. SACP Gauteng Provincial Spokesperson Pat Ntsobi on 072 671 4258