Campaign Forum To Make Banks Serve The People

22 October 2001

National Workshop and Press Conference Mass Action Agianst ABSA and Standard Bank

The Campaign Forum to Make Banks Serve the People condemns ABSA's decision to write off a debt of R6 million accrued by the New National Party's (NNP) during the 1999 general elections.

Today, in its National Workshop the Campaign Forum will discuss and adopt a programme of mass action against ABSA and the Standard Bank which has started eviction procedures against AIDS orphans who cannot service the homeloans taken out by their parents. This programme of mass action against ABSA and the Standard Bank will be announced to the public at a press conference to be held as detailed below.

DATE : Monday, 22 October 2001
TIME : 16h00 - 16h30
VENUE : The Parktonian Hotel, De Korte Street Braamfontein, Johannesburg

The Campaign Forum's National Workshop will also prepare for the pending NEDLAC Summit on the Financial Sector. The workshop will receive the following inputs and reports:

• Position Papers of government, labour, business and community constituencies of NEDLAC on the transformation and diversification of the financial sector. These Position Papers have been submitted to NEDLAC already.
• A report on the investigation of Credit Bureaus by the Department of Trade and Industry

The workshop will also prepare the strategy and approach of the Banks Campaign Forum to the NEDLAC Summit. In his capacity as the Chairperson of the Banks Campaign Forum, the General Secretary of the South African Communist Party (SACP), Blade Nzimande will open the workshop with a report on how far the campaign is and a proposal on the programme of mass action against ABSA and Standard Bank.

The workshop is open to the media.

CONTACT
Mazibuko Kanyiso Jara (surname Jara)
Campaign Forum to Make Banks Serve the People
Tel - 011 339 3621
Fax - 011 339 4244
Cell - 083 651 0271
Email - bankscampaign@union.org.za