28 June 2003
Comrades,
Chairperson, POBs, Alliance leadership, other guests and esteemed delegates
Those who choose to participate in shaping the history are history makers and those who step aside and study it are historians. It is a good act to participate in shaping the history, but heroic to shape it for the betterment of the majority poor.
The South African Communist Party is once again honored with the invitation to address this ever-important conference, the conference of the working class. Our message as the SACP to this conference is very simply, that, we must meet in order to build a strong SADTU and not to destroy or weaken it. We must all leave this conference being proud that SADTU has again won and not just my individual interest or my favored candidate. SADTU must be a winner and no one else but SADTU!
You meet today at very crucial time in the country's effort to deepen, consolidate and advance the goals of our revolution. It is ten years since the brutal assassination of our General Secretary, Cde Chris Hani, and ten years since the passing away of the hero of our revolution, cde Oliver Tambo. But you also meet when we celebrate that workers determination and defiance to the apartheid government, the 1973 Durban strike. This is the 50th year since the reconstitution of the SACP and the year that marks the end of the decade of freedom in this country. These and many other commemorations should not just remind us of where we are coming from but should also challenge the work even more harder to build this democracy.
IMPLICATIONS OF GLOBAL SITUATIONS
You also meet when the world peace and democracy is severe under threat from the US drive for unilateralism. The US is guided by a very dangerous philosophy that what is global is America and what is America is global. The recent invasion of Iraq has indicated that US can simply march on every country and change the regime it considers to be a threat on its interests in what it calls pre-emptive war policy. This is certainly a threat to an alternative left progressive agenda. This US imperialism which drives this programme need to resisted otherwise world democracy will end up being democracy for America and not the people of such countries. We are pleased that in the US and Britain there is already growing resistance against this strategy and in effect there is a great pressure that Bush and Blair should account whether there were weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.
But what does this global reality means to our struggle to build democracy and socialism in this country?
The global situation is very hostile to our agenda of radical changes. This is presented by insistence on prescriptive measures of WTO, IMF and World Bank that for any economic reforms such should comply with liberalisation policy of markets, relaxing of tariffs, privatisation, commercialisation etc. In fact those who believe in free market system always accused socialism of being a planned economy, denying innovation and undemocratic. Yet if you look at the global reality today, we have a world that is dominated by global capitalism, this global capitalism prescribe for the world what should be economic policy, intolerant of any country applying alternative and very brutal to dissenting economic paradigm.
ECONOMIC GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT PARADIGM
This imperialist globalisation forces the world to put at the centre of agenda profit for captains of industries and regards social delivery to the people as an unnecessary expense that should be stopped. They advise countries to follow economic models that emphasise the creation of an environment conducive to foreign investments, whilst this investments only come in the form of speculative, casino-like and not on productive industries that creates employment.
That is why as the SACP we continue to argue that our economic regime should make emphasise on domestic resources, building infrastructure, harnessing of domestic finance institutions, parastatals and workers pension funds. This is what other countries that have able to sustain their economy did when their economies were sufferings some shocks.
We think as the SACP there is a room for maneuver and the Growth and Development Summit (GDS) attempted to bring about the alternative. That is why we welcome the GDS decision to place at the centre of the country's economic growth and development the reliance on domestic capital as the important resource upon which we can grow the economy. This involves the use of co-operative, massive public works programmes, developing the human resource through learnerships, in- service training and mentorships.
The reason why we make emphasis on the economy is because it remains the major terrain of counterrevolution and the sphere where the case for socialism is threatened. The 1994 democratic breakthrough opened significant avenues of building democracy and placed our demands for socialism on a new plain. This 1994 victory made it possible to deliver social programmes like water, electricity, houses, clinics, roads, social security rights and many others to majority people that were denied. It also enabled us to transform the state through various legislations including the adoption of the new constitution with the bill of rights, Labour Relations Act, South African Schools Act and many others. These kinds of achievements are certainly unparalleled to many established democracies in the world.
These kinds of gains if the economy is premised on neo-liberal principles, will be negated. For instance what is the use of delivering electricity to a retrenched worker who could not afford it. Even with houses, delivering them to an unemployed person will result to that person selling such a house in order to live. Our argument is therefore, why do we allow a situation where our massive gains tends to be undermined by our economic policy. Those who have studied revolutions will know that revolutions in the world ended up being undermined by forces of market. Capitalism will not deliver to our poor people but will entrench the old devide between the few who controls the capital and the majority who are have-nots.
But to change the current situation will require a struggle from below, where people themselves will demand to participate in economy. This means building working class power. This means participating actively in alliance structures, school governing bodies, community policing forums, building of co-operatives and many organs that provide platforms for engagement.
We must participate to shape history and avoid being spectators. For instance as educators you are strategically located in education which is the weapon for any revolution. We should be asking ourselves that what is it that as an educator am I doing to address illiteracy which by the way is the major impediment in economic participation. What is it that I am doing empower communities around where I work and live so that they can escape poverty traps, for instance committing schools to buy uniforms from local co-operative. What is it that I am doing learners not to simple assimilate bourgeois ideology be it in economics or business studies but I empower such a learner to be critical and balance. This we believe should be a role of a revolutionary educator; an educator committed to building his/her country.
TASKS FOR GENDER TRANSFORMATION
You also meet today just week after a successful gender school co-organised by SADTU and SACP. Among other issues raised the need to deepen gender struggle and more particularly women in participation in the economy, governance structures and in development institutions. But more importantly was the emphasis on not just women participation but working class women who bear the brunt of many societal hardships. This working class women participation will ensure that the end result does not end up benefiting elite women but the majority.
Because most of the delegates were SADTU it was raised as a concern that in schools the majority of educators are women, estimated above sixty percent, yet positions of principals are male dominated. This was attributed to various factors and some of them were that SGBs are male dominated and hence societal partriachy permeates to school governance. But the other factor was that female educators tend to pull down other females. There is a syndrome of 'if it cannot be me than it should be a man', 'who does she think she is'.
But also man does take advantage of this situation, some men uses other women to displace women. Yet women agree to be used. SADTU must avoid this disease everywhere. This disease is a danger to our struggle to eliminate gender inequality but it is also a danger to our organisations. So my plea to all of you, but more so to women comrades is, YOU MUST RESIST THIS WRONG AGENDA! Those that use this backward evil tactic must be exposed.
But it will important that when we approach the gender question, especially the aspect of women empowerment, we should avoid attempts of putting women to leadership position as mere gesture of pretending to be empowering, whilst such has as its objective the window dressing. Some men normally do this in order to fulfil their chauvinist beliefs that women are incapable of leadership and they are weak. That is why the notion of quota system has found criticism, not because it is an incorrect tool of redressing historical gender inequality, but because some amongst us manipulate this tool in order to fulfil our narrow goals. As a result quota system ends up relying on the women criterion in order to qualify and throw away other important criteria like the potential to meet the expectations.
Unfortunately many women decide to close their eyes and accept as an achievement to put a women no matter what the contrary must dictate. But at the same time there are those who argue against the quota system simply referring to this system as a window dressing exercise, with least political impact positively on our agenda to transform the society from that of partriachal, what matters is the men's voice to that of gender equity, and everyone's voice matters no matter how the social conditions affect such a person. This people will argue that women should compete equally with men. If such women are not yet developed we should avoid short cuts and undergo a painful process of developing them until they have reached the level of competing with men. The weakness of this argument is that men have been dominating our society for centuries and they have been denied all avenues to reach the level of men, they are in a position to which they are because the system designed by men made it impossible for them to overcome their underdevelopment. Even today they are still subjected to similar systems, and it therefore means for them to reach the level of men they must work ten times more.
This is like saying affirmative action is bad just because there are companies that work to undermine it by putting black faces without also looking at the potential factor to develop.
We hope this conference will serious look at these challenges that confronting the gender transformation discourse.
CONCRETE CHALLENGES FACING SADTU
But can we also add other challenges we believe this conference need to deliberate on, and this are: whether SADTU is doing enough to advocate for the safety at schools, whether SADTU is doing enough to campaign against sexual harassment and rape of women educators and girl learners at school, whether SADTU is doing enough to expose and campaign against drugs in schools, whether SADTU is doing enough to discipline its members who undermine the culture of learning and teaching services by coming drunk at schools or absenting themselves for weeks. What mere is a challenge is what is it that distinguish a SADTU member from other teacher unions, or the difference is simply that SADTU is militant and that it can fight for promotions. These challenges being highlighted are challenges of nation building of freedom and democracy.
Certainly SADTU cannot pride itself as revolutionary union when its women members and girl learners continue to be raped and sexually harassed, even by some SADTU members. It certainly cannot pride itself if it pretends as if it is not its responsibility to fight drugs at schools, fight for the safety of educators at schools and allow its members to conduct themselves in the manner that seeks to undermine the profession.
2004 GENERAL ELECTIONS
Next year 2004 will mark a decade of freedom in this country; it will be a year in which we shall remember that before ten years ago SA was a pariah of the world. We will remember that we achieved democracy and freedom even though some among us today simple take this for granted. We will remember that a black person did not enjoy rights, women, especially domestic workers, were raped by white men yet when they reported the cases they faced torture. A white man could not do a crime on a black person.
But it will also be a reflection about the future and challenges ahead. But the very same year 2004 will mark the third democratic general elections upon which every South African will be expected to exercise a vote. As the SACP we will again make a call to all South African to vote for the ANC. We will be making such a call not because the word ANC sounds nice and also not that we are unaware of problems, especially with certain policies, with the ANC. But we say so because we believe the ANC still remains the only organisation that truly takes forward our National Democratic Revolutionary goals.
Let me give you a little advice, all other political parties, regardless of their rhetoric and grandstand posturing, they all lack the programme of taking this country forward. They all treat worker interests with disdain and gibberish. When SADTU went on a strike in 1998 they sang the same song of calling on government to discipline teachers who were spoiling the good name of the profession.
Whilst in the rest of the country, with least exception of Western Cape, they will be celebrating ten years of freedom, democracy and building of better life in KwaZulu Natal we should use 2004 to begin freedom, democracy and laying of a foundation for a better life. This is possible if we defeat the IFP. I know that amongst you there might be those who will say they prefer baboon to ANC, that the nature of any trade union. But I trust that SADTU is not just any other union, but a union of worker intellectuals, a union of cadres in ideological production. Because you are worker intellectuals so let us speak the truth and nothing else but a truth about why we say even if ANC is not your organisation but for a moment we request you to put the ANC government in this Province.
The truth is that the IFP-DA alliance, in what they refer to as halting the ANC lust for total control, they have identified KwaZulu Natal and Western Cape to be no go areas for ANC after 2004 elections. But what does this mean to delivery of social programmes to our people? It means SADTU will subjected to either IFP or DA MEC who will make his/her task to dismantle SADTU even if it means going to extremes. It means NATU will enjoy preferential recognition and be capacitated with resources and platforms to take over SADTU members. In simple terms SADTU members will be harassed, victimised and dismissed so that to be SADTU will result in sufferings and hardships.
This IFP-DA pact will consolidate this Province as a site of reaction to a democratic government programmes. The example of Social Development Department programmes of food hampers to poor people in this Province, the department, which is under the IFP, used more than three-quarter of R30 million only Abaqulisi and Zululand districts. They defied the national directive that food distribution must be done by NGOs and Faith based organisations and it is reported that in fact IFP activists were the one who distributed it to their people.
We can mention many things that will go wrong, but it remains our tasks to say now enough is enough let democracy that reverberate throughout the country reaches KwaZulu Natal. If we do this certainly what we see in other provinces as development will reach our Province.
We must disprove the adage 'that a person suffering from a disease for a long time knows nothing other than such a disease and wish no other life better than a life under such sickness'. As revolutionaries we must break the chains, we must commit ourselves to winning elections break neck and jaw. KwaZulu Natal cannot be an island of backwardness in the sea of prosperity.
CONCLUSSION
Finally, we expect every delegate in this conference to be guided by the conviction of building an even stronger SADTU in this Province, in this region, in every branch and every site. We must live to the slogan of a non-SADTU educator is an unorganised educator. We must seek to dominate every site and turn them into a Mecca of better educator rights. Seeds of revolutionary trade union, SADTU must be planted in every site. But to achieve all this means commitment to organise, to mobilise, to educate, to agitate and propagate. It means unity, unity and unity! We hope this conference will be remembered for ability of every delegate to transcend narrow interests, the maturity to place the interest of SADTU above personal ambitions.
We wish you very successful deliberations and may your conference once more be historic, you must debate, disagree and agree. We await the outcome!
Thank you