Sunday Times
*'Outsider' Vavi* *Lindiwe Mazibuko, Sunday Times, Johannesburg, 8 April, 2012*IT was fascinating to watch Cosatu secretary-general Zwelinzima Vavi's posturing during the parliamentary hearings on the Protection of State Information Bill. Vavi asserted that, if need be, Cosatu would go to court to fight the bill if the contentious provisions were not removed.
My first thought was to wonder how many of Cosatu's members, "deployed" to parliament as MPs, voted for the bill in the National Assembly. My second was to ask how much longer the union will be allowed to play fish and fowl, player and referee, government and opposition.
Over the past year, Vavi has intensified his campaign to extend his influence in the governing party, without running for executive office, in order, one imagines, to preserve his perceived status as an "outsider".
Nevertheless, one would be hard-pressed to find an organisation which has had a greater, and more detrimental, effect on public policy than his trade-union federation. It is no overstatement to say that Cosatu is the main roadblock to job creation and redress for millions of South Africans. It consistently vetoes government policy in education, labour and economic reform.
Education is not only a basic human right. It is the most important investment the state can make in the future of its citizens. The rot in South Africa's education system has been entrenched by Cosatu's position on strikes and academic standards.
In 2010, teachers' strikes were a major cause of the disruption of learning for more than a quarter of the country's pupils.
South Africa will not succeed in reforming state schools if it continues to have teachers in the system who are present only three days a week, but who remain employed and receive the same pay as everyone else.
Since 1994, a succession of finance ministers, most notably Trevor Manuel, has tried to reform the labour market in line with international best practice by providing flexibility and the right incentives to work.
Cosatu's position is based on the false premise that we can painlessly create an economic nirvana.
Obviously, there is not a single South African who does not want a well-paid, high-value, wired economy, but the grim reality is that we are falling behind our African peers.
In the real world - outside the commodious R50-million trade-union offices - where parents have to feed and clothe their children, the choice is often between a low-paying job and no job at all.
When Vavi cynically says that labour broking is like human trafficking, he speaks with the callousness of one who has never asked a person in a badly paid job if they would be prepared to give it up if there was no alternative.
Instead, he adopts an a-historical approach to economics and public policy.Under apartheid, black South Africans were subjected to the indignity of Bantu education, labour laws that prevented their advancement, business regulations banning ownership, and laws that prevented them from living in urban areas.
Since 1994, South Africa has been subject to the same skills-biased technological changes as many other parts of the globe.
But the double effect of apartheid's legacy and globalisation means South Africa cannot become a developed state in one fluid motion. Instead, the country has to compete with its African peers as a nimble economy, and attract footloose capital and investment.
In a perfect economy, there would be no need for a youth wage subsidy. However, our unemployment rate is one of the highest in the world - and 71% of those without jobs are under the age of 34.
Last year, Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan announced a youth wage subsidy which was to have been implemented last Sunday - but the policy remains blocked by Cosatu at the National Economic Development and Labour Council (Nedlac).
If logic could penetrate Cosatu's self-interest, it would realise the absurdity of this position: if the right education and labour reforms had been enacted a decade ago, a youth wage subsidy might not have been necessary.
But the real issue here is: who governs South Africa?The Tripartite Alliance does not cohere around a cogent policy framework. Held together only by the glue of cadre deployment and the maintenance of power, Cosatu serves no discernable national interest in government.
So Vavi must decide which he wants to be. He cannot oppose the government on Monday, only to eat from its pantry on Tuesday. The time has come for Cosatu to act responsibly and consistently. If Vavi wants to elevate Cosatu to being the party of government, he must seek his mandate at the ballot box.
*** From: http://www.timeslive.co.za/sundaytimes/2012/04/08/outsider-vavi * -- You are subscribed. This footer can help you. Please POST your comments to [email protected] or reply to this message. You can visit the group WEB SITE at http://groups.google.com/group/yclsa-eom-forum for different delivery options, pages, files and membership. To UNSUBSCRIBE, please email [email protected] . You don't have to put anything in the "Subject:" field. You don't have to put anything in the message part. All you have to do is to send an e-mail to this address (repeat): [email protected] .
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