SACP SALUTES SOUTH AFRICAN WORKERS FOR THEIR SUPPORT OF
THE GENERAL STRIKE

10 May 2000

All reports indicate massive and enthusiastic support   for today’s general  strike against job losses and for job creation. The
South African Communist  Party (SACP) salutes the South African working class,   under the  revolutionary leadership of COSATU, for today’s  actions.

The success of the general strike is a clear and strong message to the bosses that they must meet the COSATU demands to stop job losses. It is also a strong and clear message to our ANC government to take urgent steps to meet workers’ demands for amendment of relevant legislation and reviewing our economic policies to create new, quality and sustainable jobs. Today’s strike was also a conscious offensive against capitalism itself.

To those who think that the workers’ struggle against job losses ended today, let them know not underestimate the resilience,
fighting spirit and anti-capitalist consciousness of the South African working class.

Millions of South African workers sacrificed more than R1,5 billion in wages lost today. We challenge government and the bosses to donate this money to COSATU’s Job Creation Fund. This will be clear indication of their seriousness about job losses and job creation.

Further, we reiterate our calls for the following:

  1. Convening of sectoral summits in the next three months to discuss how to stop retrenchments and create jobs in each sector of the economy
  2. Reviewing our country’s economic policies to boost job creation
  3. The mobilisation of domestic private and public capital (state assets and budgetary resources) for job creation through a state led industrial strategy
  4. Defend, extend and strengthen the public sector - Keep state assets in public hands

In conclusion, we call on COSATU, the ANC and other progressive organisations to convene People’s Forums Against Job
Losses between now and July. These forums must be held in townships, rural areas, informal settlements, the cities and wherever our people are in order to report back, consult our people and plan the way forward in transforming our economy in favour of the working class and the poor. In this regard, the SACP will mobilise its structures across the country to convene
these people’s forums.

CONTACT
Mazibuko K. Jara (surname Jara)
Department of Media, Information & Publicity
South African Communist Party
Tel: 27 11 339-3621/2
Cell: 083 651 0271
Email: sacp1@wn.apc.org