** For Your Eyes Only ** ** High Priority ** C'des, precisely what is the explanation for the constant being late of the gen sec? at ukzn, Westville quad, with an announced meeting at 11 am at 12.26 pm nobody ever even bothered to communicate to the many people waiting. & nothing at all happened. Why? ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ξε ν’, γγέλλειν Λακεδαιμονίοις ἀ ὅτι τ δε κείμεθα, το ς κείνων ῥήμασι πειθόμενοι. /begin/read__>sig.file: postal address palma University of KwaZulu-Natal Philosophy 3rd floor of Memorial Tower Building Howard College Campus Durban 4041 South Africa Tel off: [+27] 031 2601591 (sec: Mrs. Yolanda Hordyk) [+27] 031-2602292 Fax [+27] 031-2603031 mobile 07 62 36 23 91 calling from overseas +[27] 76 2362391 EMAIL: [email protected] EMAIL: [email protected] MY OFFICE # IS 2...@mtb *only when in Europe*: inst. J. Nicod 29 rue d'Ulm f-75005 paris france email me for details if needed at [email protected] ________ This e-mail message (and attachments) is confidential, and/or privileged and is intended for the use of the addressee only. If you are not the intended recipient of this e-mail you must not copy, distribute, take any action in reliance on it or disclose it to anyone. Any confidentiality or privilege is not waived or lost by reason of mistaken delivery to you. This entity is not responsible for any information not related to the business of this entity. If you received this e-mail in error please destroy the original and notify the sender.
>>> Dominic Tweedie <[email protected]> 10/2/2009 10:04 AM >>> The question of the police and the army are one, in my opinion. Also, the public theatre being fronted by both Lindiwe Sisulu and by Jacob Zuma around this question is of a single nature. That is to say, both of their performances in this regard are built out of red herrings, trial balloons, false alarms, clap-trap, and I am sorry to say, lies, and all this is easy to see from the published articles in The Star yesterday, and an article in the Mail & Guardian today called “You got it wrong, Mr President”, which is not yet on the Internet. Let us look at the articles briefly and then consider what is behind all this ballyhoo. The article that went out in Lindiwe Sisulu’s name is atrocious. Let us adopt the convention, which may in any case be close to the truth, of blaming the minister’s “advisors” for the lies that have gone out in her name, in the article in yesterday’s Star. The article slyly shuffles the words “strike” and “march” around in a deceiving manner. There was no strike. There was a peaceful march of off-duty service-people which was fired upon by police. The lying accusation of “strike” is the political equivalent of pulling a gun. It is a deliberate threat. Secondly, it is not true that “by their very nature trade unions are political”. It is exactly because trade unions are not political, but are reformist, that it is necessary to have a Communist Party. Please don’t tell me that Lindiwe Sisulu does not know this. Thirdly, it is not true that trade unions as such would create “another centre of authority” in the military, different to the Chiefs. But this accusation does begin to reveal what is really at stake in this matter, namely the class loyalty of the military in a class-divided society. It opens the question of: “Who does the Commander in Chief serve?” Which side is the President on, in the class war? Is ours a red army, in solidarity with the suffering people, or is it a “special body of armed men” that belongs wholly to the ruling bourgeoisie? Declan Condon’s letter in the Star shows, in relation to the police, that there is no problem with the law and that the whole “shoot-to-kill” fuss led by Bheki Cele and Jacob Zuma is a dangerous piece of nonsense. The article in the Mail and Guardian quotes David Bruce as saying that President Zuma was incorrect in claiming that police are required to fire a warning shot at someone who is about to shoot them. “It is also not correct that police can shoot only when someone has already shot at them, or that they are supposed to fire at a person’s legs or hands. None of this is true,” said Bruce, who is an expert working for the CSVR (I have met him). So, undoubtedly we have the President also saying things that are not true. It must be because of those naughty “advisors” again! But then, what is it that the advisors are trying to achieve? I have no doubt that the strategic problem that is preoccupying the bureaucracy is the old one of “which side are you on?” in the class war. In both army and police there is ambiguity. In our army there is the tradition of MK and there is actually-existing unionism, carrying the potential of greater class-consciousness. There is also the perpetual fact that armies and politics cannot be separated - something that Lindiwe Sisulu is unlikely to admit. The truth is that armies are designed as blatant instruments of class warfare, while trade unions are designed as instruments of class negotiation. The truth is the opposite of what “the ministry” is putting out in Lindiwe Susulu’s name. The late Jack Woddis wrote a book called “Armies and Politics” (International Publishers, 1978) that unpacked all of these matters very well. “The ministry” must not start to think that there is no-one out here who knows about such things. In the police there is an even stronger union tradition, but contrasting with a continuing use of the police to shoot at workers and at masses demonstrating for all sorts of reasons. These shootings have been provocative and they have been lethal, time and again. Almost every day there is news of another one. Whatever happens, this struggle will continue. Ours is to continue to revolutionise all politics and to encourage the police and the army to become self-conscious, class-conscious political subjects that do not owe loyalty to anyone but their fellow-workers and class-struggle allies, and to become well-educated in politics. The ruling class, correctly, sees this as an urgent matter that needs to be resolved as soon as possible. Let us not give them an advantage by thinking that the revolution is far off, and that we can afford to let this thing pass without struggle, while the bodies of our martyrs pile up. VC Siyabonga Zama wrote: Cde Lindiwe is now living in another planet, her attitude was really uncalled for and it undermined the legitimacy of the grievances of the members of the defence force. The minister failed dismally to trigger a debate on the representation of the members of the defence force within the force instead she became very arrogant as a result she was humiliated by the court -----Original Message----- From: [email protected][mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of KGALE GODFREY MAILA Sent: 02 October 2009 08:12 AM To: [email protected]; [email protected]: [YCLSA Discussion] Re: Discipline a major priority This woman [Lindiwe Sisulu] has proclaimed herself some sort of a "super minister". Her views clearly undermines a spirit of open engagement: a platform that has been established by a consequence of Polokwane. She has become very arrogant. I think Malema must take her hands on. Soldiers are workers, period! Funky Mpumalanga [email protected] 10/01/09 6:57 PM >>> <!--[if !vml ]--><!--[endif]--> Discipline a major priority Lindiwe Sisulu, The Star, 1 October 2009 THE ANNOUNCEMENT of the establishment of the South African National Defence Force Commission (SANDFC) has elicited a number of responses. Unfortunately most of them are ill-informed. To start with, the conceptualisation of the commission precedes the illegal strike by the soldiers. Secondly, a suggestion that government and the ANC intend to subvert the constitution or the determination of the Constitutional Court with regard to representation of the soldiers is misleading and uninformed. It is true however that the events of the march have led us to rethink the issue of the unions in the military. The president as commander-in-chief has boldly expressed a view shared by many South Africans on this matter. By their very nature unions are political. Their presence in the military creates two problems. First they would undermine the command and control structure in the defence force. Secondly, they would create another centre of authority which could work against that of the Chief of the Defence Force and the Commander-in-Chief. No self-respecting country can allow this. I have made a number of public commitments. Prominently was to establish a good and strong working relationship and dynamic partnership with the Portfolio Committee on Defence. The second was to look at the condition of service of members of the defence force. I explicitly stated that "we are seized with the matter and I would like to engage each one of them through the proper management structures to see how we can attend to these. We are acutely aware that the state of readiness of the SANDF depends primarily on the morale of our soldiers." I am stating these commitments to underscore the fact that the illegal strike by members of the South African National Defence Union (Sandu) was unnecessary, irresponsible and mischievous. Firm steps have been taken to deal with behaviour to ensure that discipline in the Defence Force remains a defining feature. To address the unhappy relationship between the public service and the environment of the defence force of command and control, I indicated in my budget vote that I was considering making a separate dispensation for the Defence Force. The need for such a dispensation was succinctly articulated by the president in his observation that "there are few components of the state which have such a high calling; which demands selflessness, bravery in the face of danger, the highest levels of discipline and absolute loyalty to the constitution... The discipline of the SANDF must at all times be kept at the highest professional standards to ensure the public's confidence in the SANDF's ability to protect and defend the people and the interest of the Republic of South Africa." Definite steps have been undertaken towards those commitments. The establishment of this SANDF Service Commission is the latest in a series of steps aimed at this objective. The SANDF Service Commission has precedence. During my tenure as Minister of Intelligence, we crafted a separate dispensation for the Intelligence Services in appreciation and acknowledgement of the distinctive role they play in society. The defence force is not any different. Indeed, it was recognition of this distinction that legislators determined that the Labour Relations Act should not be applicable to the army, the Intelligence and Secret Services. So, the suggestion that the ministry wants to subvert the constitution and the law is baseless. The National Defence Force Service Commission will assist us to address expeditiously matters affecting the SANDF so that our national security is never compromised. In appointing this commission, I have been mindful of the provisions of the Constitution and section 2 of the Defence Act, 2002. While the creation of the National Defence Force Service Commission does not fall within the provisions of sub-section 2(a) of the act, as it does not relate to the formulation and execution of defence policy which is subject to the authority of Parliament and the national executive, I have decided to consult the Portfolio Committee on Defence and to seek its guidance and assistance on the creation of this Commission, in view of the national importance o f this issue. The Portfolio Committee was briefed on Tuesday, September 15 2009 about my plans and undertook to discuss various aspects of this matter, including the composition of, and the appointment of, the members of the commission. Given the enormity of this task, we sought the guidance and assistance of an impartial commission as well as Parliament to help us formulate appropriate regulations, which will regulate these matters, until such time as the Defence Act is properly amended to make provision for a permanent National Defence Force Service Commission, which will be responsible for considering the issues which affect members of the Defence Force. The commission will interact with the Council of Defence and brief it on its work from time to time. It must also interact with the soldiers through the due protocols. This will enable the commission to make appropriate recommendations to the executive. The commission was not set up to take the place of unions. It is established to oversee a separate dispensation for the defence force - a matter that the Defence Force has advocated for the last 10 years. As for Zwelinzima Vavi and Cosatu, it is clear that they need some educating. And I will offer my services in this regard. Lindiwe Sisulu is the Minister of Defence and Military Veterans. <!--[if !supportLists]--><!--[endif]--> This message and any attachments may be confidential and may also be privileged or otherwise protected from disclosure. They are sent for the attention of the named addressee(s) only. If you are not the named addressee(s) please notify the sender immediately and destroy this message. In this case, you should not copy or distribute this message or attachments, use it for any purpose or disclose its contents to any other person. Opinions, conclusions and other information in this message that do not relate to the official business of Hibiscus Coast Municipality shall be understood as neither given nor endorsed by it. Emails cannot be guaranteed to be secure or free of errors or viruses. 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