SACP in the Western Cape is concerned about disunity in SATAWU

31 January 2017

The SACP has learnt that the Provincial Secretary of SATAWU, Comrade Tembela Dakuse, was dismissed from office last month, December 2016 and subsequently the entire Provincial Office Bears Committee of SATAWU was disbanded at a January 2017 Central Executive Committee (CEC). The only reason for the disbandment was that they requested a CEC meeting, which had not been convened for the whole of 2016. The non-convening of the meeting for such a period of time was against the prescripts of the union's constitution, which is what the disbanded office bearers sought to have addressed.

Whilst as a political party of the working class we respect the organisational independence of our alliance partners and associated structures, we cannot ignore counter-productive actions against the unity of organised workers in particular and the working class in general. Purging leadership or disbanding structures that demand respect for the constitution constitutes a counter-productive action against unity not only of the affiliate but COSATU as the federation which needs to intervene.

The SACP in the province enjoys progressive and programmatic working relations with SATAWU. SATAWU's leadership in the province has been at the forefront of leading struggles in its sector against exploitation. This leadership led a militant strike action against exploitation, casualisation and corruption at PRASA. They fought for the reinstatement of over one hundred dismissed workers only to discover that, allegedly, there was an internal collaboration by someone (known to the affected union members) at the top echelons of the union with PRASA Management to block their reinstatement.

These actions serve to donate the 27, 000 SATAWU members in the province to either union not aligned with COSATU or splinter unions established to fatten business unionists. The ongoing divisive actions within SATAWU at a national level have led to the internal destruction of the union, these actions are no-doubt a means to isolate leaders attempting to unify workers.

The SACP values the unity of working class formations and we urge members of SATAWU to be vigilant and reclaim their organisation against the dangers of business unionism and corporate capture. The SACP vehemently condemns actions that are counter-productive to unity and calls on COSATU to intervene to save SATAWU.

Issued by SACP Western Cape

Contact:
Barry James Mitchell- SACP Western Cape 2nd Deputy Provincial Sectary
Mobile: 076 316 0165,
Office: 021 696 2534