18 May 2015
On the Thursday, 14th May 2015, the South African Communist Party (SACP) in the Western Cape convened its 8th Plenary Session of the 7th Provincial Congress Executive Committee at its Provincial Office in Athlone, Cape Town, Brian Bunting District.
The Provincial Executive Committee (PEC) paid tribute to the late Comrade Ruth Mompati Isithwalandwe - Seaparankwe, cadre-extraordinaire that forms part of the revolutionary generation that successfully dislodged the apartheid regime and played a meaningful role in building the ANC-led alliance. The PEC also paid tribute to Comrade Sisa Bona, a long-serving and selfless Secretary of the Xolani Mbundu Branch of the Party, a Shop Steward of the SAMWU and a dedicated ANC and SANCO member.
The PEC assessed the critical issues affecting the workers in the Western Cape. Amongst the matters discussed was the impending mass-retrenchment of workers at PetroSA as well as an ongoing strike of workers employed by Good Hope Construction. The PEC charted preparations towards the celebration of Africa Day, coordinated by Frontline Africa, as well as the much anticipated visit of the Cuban Five Heroes to South Africa.
Good Hope Construction
The Vanguard Party of the Workers and the poor has been assessing a month long strike by members of the National Union of Mine workers (NUM). Sadly, in their collective course of demanding better working conditions and better wages, one of the NUM members was brutally murdered by Gangsters, hired by their employer, Good hope construction.
We send our deepest condolences to the family of Cde Melikhaya Pisana who bravely lost his life in fighting for better working conditions.
The SACP is extremely worried by the ongoing actions of Good Hope Construction. We call on the authorities to investigate this incidence of hired hit men and further call for swift and severe action to be taken against the owners of Good Hope Construction. The Party demands that the Western Cape Government terminate all the contracts with Good Hope Construction. We will not allow tax payers money to be used to violently suppress the legitimate rights and demands of workers.
Good Hope workers’ demands:
PetroSA Retrenchment
As the SACP we recently convened a meeting with the leadership of the Chemical, Energy, Paper, Printing, Wood and Allied Workers Union (CEPPWAWU) including workers at Petrochemical Company of South Africa (PetroSA). The Party is committed and determined to stand in solidarity with the workers. We forthrightly reject the proposed retrenchment of 40 per cent (i.e. 700 workers) of the labour force at the company.
As the Vanguard Party, we will not allow a situation where decisions are made in boardrooms to sacrifice workers due to mismanagement which initially led to the downward spiral of the company. Three years ago, under global economic strains, the company was doing well, however in the wake of a new management and leadership the current status of the company has worsened.
The SACP seeks to address the elephant in the room – the incompetent board and the senior management who are running the company through consultants and questionable decisions which have led to this sorry state.
It is against this background, that the Party we will join PetroSA workers and mobilise the Western Cape community in defending PetroSA against tenderpreneurs. We regard it as our national asset which occupies a very strategic position in advancing national democratic transformation, in particular, employment creation and the development of rural communities of Southern Cape.
Issued by SACP Western Cape
Enquiries:
Masonwabe Sokoyi – SACP Western Cape Provincial Spokesperson
Cell: 0815846138/ 0765243242
Office: 021 696 2522
Fax: 086 558 2481
Twitter: @SACPWC
Facebook: SACP Western Cape
Email: sacpwc.media@gmail.com