Justice for Jotham Mandlazi: SACP on Red October offensive for farm workers' Rights and ANC victory in the 14 April Elections

24 March 2004

The South African Communist Party in the Mpumalanga demands that the Department of Justice must appeal against the decision to merely fine a sum of R36,000 on a farmer for killing a farm worker. On 18 February, Judge Johan Els of the Nelspruit circuit of the Pretoria High Court decided to only fine farmer, Gerrit Maritz a sum of R36,000 despite the fact that Maritz killed Jotham Mandlazi by dragging him alongside his bakkie until he fell under its wheel.

In support of this demand the SACP together with the Transvaal Rural Action Committee (TRAC) and the South African Council of Churches (SACC) will tomorrow (Thursday, 25 March) to the offices of Agri SA and the Department of Justice. The march will start at 11h00 at Rissik Street in Komatipoort, Mpumalanga province.

Memoranda will be handed over to Agri SA and the Department of Justice.

"It is really unacceptable that farm workers must continue being victims of racism and abuse at the hands of farmers without any recourse to justice.

What does democracy mean if we still have such abuse", said Judas Tsotetsi, SACP Mpumalanga Provincial Secretary.

This Komatipoort march will lead the Red Thursday Offensive (scheduled for 25 March) of the SACP which is aimed at reaching out to hundreds of thousands of organised workers with an SACP elections message. The Red Thursday Offensive will be conducted tomorrow through 40 activities across all 9 provinces of our country. The activities will include pamphlet blitzes and public meetings with organised in industrial areas and workplaces in all our nine provinces. Party leaders and activists will be particularly targeting workers who are not members of unions and those who are in non-COSATU unions. The blitzes form part of our national contribution to the ANC election effort.

Jeremy Cronin, the SACP Deputy General Secretary, will lead this offensive by taking part in the Western Cape activities. Phillip Dexter, SACP National Treasurer, will lead the East Rand activities.

The list of the major activities is as follows:

1. Free State morning and afternoon blitzes

• Taxi ranks in Botshabelo, Bethlehem, Virginia and Welkom from 06h00 to 07h30 and from 16h00 to 18h00
• Farm visits and meetings with farm workers in farms in Sasolburg and Viljoenskroon

2. Gauteng morning blitzes

• Chamdor Industrial Area, West Rand from 06h00 to 07h30
• Visit to and meetings with Western Deep Level Mine in Carletonville, 07h00 to 12h00
• Isando Industrial area, East Rand from 06h00 to 07h30 Gauteng afternoon blitzes
• Alrode, East Rand, from 12h00 to 14h00
• ERPM mine, East Rand, from 16h00 to 18h00

3. North West

• Blitzes in Brits and Potchefstroom industrial areas from 06h00 to 08h00, and from 16h00 to 18h00
• Workers' assembly at Eastern Plats mine in Brits, 12h00 to 14h00

4. Western Cape

• Khayelitsha focus on industrial workers and public sector workers - from 06h00 to 08h00, and from 16h00 to 18h00
• NI City Shopping complex - from 12h00 to 16h00
• Diep River and Retreat focus on clothing and textile workers - from 06h00 to 08h00, and from 16h00 to 18h00

Details of activities in the Eastern Cape, Limpopo, KwaZulu Natal and Northern Cape provinces will be released in due course.

CONTACT

Mazibuko Kanyiso Jara (surname Jara)
Head of the Office of the General Secretary
South African Communist Party
Tel - + 27 11 339 3621
Fax - +27 11 339 4244/6880
Cell - +83 651 0271
Email - mazibuko@sacp.org.za