The New Age
*'Retain Cosatu leadership' * *Luyolo Mkentane, The New Age, Johannesburg, 9 August 2010*Newly-elected SA Communist Party (SACP) chairperson Senzeni Zokwana openly campaigned for Cosatu's leadership to be retained when the labour federation holds its national congress in Johannesburg next month.
Zokwana, who is also chairperson of Cosatu's biggest union (320000 members), the National Union of Mineworkers, told delegates at the national congress of the SA Municipal Workers Union to not be divisive and that they should emerge more united at Cosatu's congress to be held at Gallagher Estate in Midrand.
Zokwana said all of Cosatu's "leadership (should) be retained" and if not reasons should be given as to why, adding: "Let us make Cosatu's congress successful."
He also lashed out at labour brokers and called on government departments to withdraw business from them. Zokwana, who took over as SACP chair from ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe, at SACP's national congress in KwaZulu-Natal last month, said to loud applause: "Cadres who are accused of corruption should vacate their positions (until investigations) are over."
He blamed capitalism for the global financial crisis, saying: "The workers are laid off, factories are closing down."
The SACP was blamed by the ANC Youth League for not supporting nationalisation of the mines, he said. "But there's a mine that's owned by the state. Diamonds mined there are disappearing. We need a cadre who will understand how (to run the mine)," he said, to applause from the delegates. "We are not saying mines must not be nationalised. But we must ask the question: In whose class interest is the call being made?," Zokwana said.
He also criticised former apartheid president FW de Klerk saying he was not a prophet "to tell us how the ANC tripartite alliance should be led".
De Klerk recently said the SACP was one of the driving forces behind what he dubbed "radical ANC policies". "The SACP won't be ashamed of the positions it takes," Zokwana said.
To improve "the lot of our people", he said citizenry needed to form cooperatives and work with municipalities because "the tenderisation of municipalities" had crippled the institutions. Further Education and Training colleges needed to train municipalities and provide them with skills, Zokwana said.
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