COSAS supports Red October Campaign

2 November 2004

The Congress of South African Students (COSAS) salutes the leadership and membership of the SACP on the launch of the 2004 Red October Campaign. The campaign comes at the time when rights of farm workers' children are violated, they are exploited daily by the land lords, they are expected to provide labour every morning before they go to school and they are expected to provide labour every afternoon after school.

Workers are expected to travel 10-30 km ever morning to school, this is unjustified. By the time they arrive at school they are already tired and unable to properly concentrate in class.

The SACP campaign begins to expose all those that are using children as laborers , we call on government to intervene because learners in the farms are abused daily and their rights are violated by those who manipulate them because they control land and provide them with shelter.

Accelerated Land Reform will without doubt benefit everyone in this country.

We specifically support the following SACP demands:

• An end to illegal evictions in farms
• An end to violence and victimisation and abuse of farm workers and their children
• An end to child labour
• Free education, school transport, nutrition and health care for children of farm workers
• Improving of social security of farm workers and their families

We call on the state to accelerate the acquisition of land for redistribution; this will also help in the building of schools, clinics and libraries.

COSAS endorses the Red October Campaign. We call on all students to join all the activities organised by the SACP. We call on all the learners and COSAS members to participate in their big numbers on the National Day of Action 06 November 2004.

Mawubuye Umhlaba! Land! Bread! Work!

CONTACT:

Mpho Sesedinyane

Secretary General

South African Congress of Students (COSAS)

082 424 1597