Latest news with #Vavi
IOL News
24-05-2025
- Politics
- IOL News
Zwelinzima Vavi calls MK Party leader Jacob Zuma 'worst thing South Africa has ever experienced'
Secretary of the South African Federation of Trade Unions (SAFTU), Zwelinzima Vavi, believes that former President Jacob Zuma was the "worst thing South Africa has ever experienced". Former president Jacob Zuma was the "worst thing South Africa has ever experienced," general secretary of the South African Federation of Trade Unions (SAFTU), Zwelinzima Vavi, said. "In my view, Jacob Zuma was the worst thing that this country has ever experienced and I'm not saying this because of the expectations we had about what he was going to do for the working class in South Africa," he said. Vavi was speaking during an interview on the EFF Podcast on Thursday. The veteran trade union leader said Zuma was the worst thing the country has ever experienced. In response, MK Party National spokesperson Nhlamulo Ndhlela defended Zuma, labeling Vavi as "irrelevant" and accusing him of using the former president's name to maintain his own relevance. "Vavi is an irrelevant trying to be relevant using President Zuma's name," Ndhlela told IOL.
IOL News
14-05-2025
- Business
- IOL News
GNU clueless on how to tackle unemployment
The official unemployment rate moved upwards because 291 000 people lost their jobs quarter-on-quarter, dropping the employed workforce to 16.8 million as of March this year. Image: FILE THE increase in the official unemployment rate from 31.9% to 32.9% exposes the Government of National Unity's (GNU) "investment conferences" as gimmicks that only serve to create false sense of hope. That is how some unions reacted to news the official unemployment rate moved upwards because 291 000 people lost their jobs quarter-on-quarter, dropping the employed workforce to 16.8 million as of March this year. Statistics South Africa released its latest unemployment figures on Tuesday, showing that there was an increase of 1.3 percentage points of people entering the workforce, or 532 000 more working-age South Africans, which resulted in there also being more unemployed people. That figure is now 8.2 million. StatsSA also noted that those aged between 15 and 34 years remained the most vulnerable in the job market, with both work losses and an increase in unemployed youngsters pushing that unemployment rate up to 46.1% from 44.6% quarter-on-quarter. 'The youth (15–34 years) remain vulnerable in the labour market. The results for the first quarter of 2025 show that the total number of unemployed youth increased by 151 000 to 4,8 million, while employed youth recorded a decrease of 153 000 to 5.7 million. As a result, the youth unemployment rate increased from 44.6% in the fourth quarter of 2024 to 46.1% in the first quarter of 2025,' said StatsSA. South African Federation of Trade Unions (SAFTU) general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi said the figures underscored the deepening crisis confronting the working class and the urgent need for a radical shift in the country's macroeconomic trajectory. 'These figures are a damning indictment of South Africa's failed capitalist economic system — a system incapable of delivering decent work, reducing inequality, or ending poverty. They also expose the complete failure of the government's macroeconomic policies, which continue to serve the interests of big business and the wealthy elite, while abandoning the working class and the poor. 'The government's dogged commitment to fiscal austerity and neoliberal orthodoxy has led to the disinvestment in vital sectors such as manufacturing, agriculture, and public services, resulting in job losses, factory closures, and economic stagnation.' Vavi said the second phase of Operation Vulindlela, launched by President Cyril Ramaphosa last week was the latest neoliberal scheme to attract private investment — premised on de-risking and privatising strategic sectors. 'As with GEAR, AsgiSA, and other failed frameworks, Operation Vulindlela will not deliver the promised jobs or industrialisation.' His remarks were echoed by Saftu's affiliate, the General Industries Workers Union of South Africa (Giwusa), whose president Mametlwe Sebei the GNU was not the right vehicle to steer the country out of the crisis. 'The so-called GNU continues to implement the same austerity measures, privatisations, and attacks on workers' rights that have led us to this disaster. The latest Quarterly Labour Force Survey reveals GNU and capitalism's brutal assault on the working class. The so-called "recovery" is a myth and false excitement about GNU and business confidence are misplaced as we argued. We're now back to the same 32.9% unemployment rate as Q1 2024, showing capitalism's complete inability to create lasting jobs and GNU impotence in the face of this crisis.' DA spokesperson on employment and labour Michael Bagraim said his party's reform proposals and bold agenda should be front and centre to reverse thesituation. 'A job is more than income, it is hope for the future, security and dignity. This is why the DA's primary focus, and the DA's most important policy agenda in the GNU is to facilitate economic growth for all South Africans, and to do everything we can to foster job creation. Our country needs a growth agenda that unlocks barriers to investment, such as eliminating job quotas and economic and labour regulations that protect narrow interests and not all South Africans.' Delivering a keynote address during a memorial lecture honouring Struggle icon Duma Dokwe, ANC secretary General Fikile Mbalula, said: 'It is our contention as the ANC that the national budget must reflect a growth path that would ensure adequate absorption of the unemployed through economic opportunities for entrepreneurs and expansion of existing businesses…Our young people must embrace the philosophy of lifelong learning in order to become agents for transformation who have the necessary capacity to decisively tackle the triple challenges of poverty, unemployment and inequality.' Additional reporting Nicola Mawson. Cape Times
IOL News
01-05-2025
- Politics
- IOL News
SAFTU rallies for workers' rights on International Workers' Day
Workers unite: South African Federation Trade Union's message on International Workers' Day Image: Motshwari Mofokeng/Independent Newspapers South African Federation of Trade Unions (SAFTU) marked the International Workers' Day with a rallying cry for solidarity against government austerity measures, proposed labour law amendments, and the widening inequality gap. In a statement issued on Thursday by SAFTU, the federation's General Secretary, Zwelinzima Vavi, highlighted workers' ongoing struggles and the importance of collective action. Vavi underscored May Day's roots, recalling the 1886 Haymarket Massacre in Chicago, where police opened fire on workers demanding an eight-hour workday. 'No right was given freely—every gain was won through mass struggle,' he stated. 'Today, we are in solidarity with workers worldwide who continue to fight for dignity and justice. In South Africa, May Day is more than a commemoration; it's a call to action. 'It's a day of battle—a day to renew our fight against capitalist exploitation and racial oppression,' Vavi declared. Current Challenges Facing Workers Vavi painted a stark picture of South Africa's socio-economic landscape, warning of an 'onslaught' on workers' rights. He condemned austerity policies, corporate greed, and the erosion of hard-won gains. 'Our communities are being torn apart by policies prioritizing profits over people,' he said. Recent protests in Cape Town and across the country, where workers marched against a proposed VAT hike—the union describing it as a 'tax on the poor'—sparked this renewed activism. SAFTU also welcomed a recent court victory by the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), which challenged the government's VAT implementation, exposing authorities' lawlessness. Exposing Political Betrayal Vavi accused the Democratic Alliance (DA), South Africa's main opposition, of hypocrisy. While publicly opposing VAT increases, the DA allegedly plotted to weaken public services, sabotaging efforts like the National Health Insurance (NHI), blocking education reforms, and privatising state assets. 'The DA's game is not to defend the poor but to serve big business; we must reject their treachery and build our power,' Vavi charged. Vavi painted a stark picture of South Africa's socio-economic landscape, warning of an 'onslaught' on workers' rights. He condemned austerity policies, corporate greed, and the erosion of hard-won gains. 'Our communities are being torn apart by policies prioritising profits over people,' he said. Recent protests in Cape Town and across the country, where workers marched against a proposed VAT hike—the union describing it as a 'tax on the poor'—sparked this renewed activism. SAFTU also welcomed a recent court victory by the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), which challenged the government's VAT implementation, exposing authorities' lawlessness. Exposing Political Betrayal Vavi accused the Democratic Alliance (DA), South Africa's main opposition, of hypocrisy. While publicly opposing VAT increases, the DA allegedly plotted to weaken public services, sabotaging efforts like the National Health Insurance (NHI), blocking education reforms, and privatizing state assets. 'The DA's game is not to defend the poor but to serve big business; we must reject their treachery and build our power,' Vavi charged. Threats to Workers' Rights SAFTU warned of a broader assault on workers' rights through proposed amendments to labor laws and the draft Code of Good Practice on Dismissal. These, they argued, threaten to legitimise arbitrary dismissals, workplace discrimination, and union busting. 'These proposals are a declaration of war,' Vavi emphasises. The union called for mass resistance, urging workers to reject these changes and defend their rights to strike, organise, and resist. Land and Worker Struggles: The Voice of the Land Party SA The Land Party SA issued a statement linking worker struggles with land justice, adding depth to the ongoing conversation. Avela Sithonga, Head of Communications, reflected on worker resistance's historical and ongoing significance, tying it to land struggles and anti-capitalist resistance. 'The Marikana massacre, where 34 mineworkers lost their lives protesting exploitation, remains a stark reminder of the brutal response to worker dissent,' Sithonga said. 'Worker struggles are inherently land struggles.' He called for a united front against systemic land dispossession, emphasising that land restitution is essential for true emancipation. 'The Land Party continues to urge all Africans to invest in the fight to reclaim the land as a cornerstone of liberation.' Tributes were paid to fallen workers worldwide, including those killed during the 2012 Marikana massacre. Sithonga condemned the government's use of police to terrorise activists and called on unemployed South Africans to demand job creation. 'We condemn the government's use of police to intimidate workers and activists,' he stated. 'There are no rights worth fighting for without jobs. We call for abolishing minimum wages below the taxable income and introducing a genuine living wage.' He emphasised strengthening local manufacturing to boost economic growth and reduce unemployment 'A prosperous economy depends on a government committed to prioritising people's needs.' [email protected] IOL Politics The Roots of the Land Party SA Sithonga recounted how the Land Party emerged from struggles over land access and racial discrimination in employment. He stated that the party fought against illegal dismissals and defended landless protesters, notably in Hermanus. 'The Land Party became a beacon of hope against racial discrimination and for fair working conditions,' he said. He also highlighted that the party has intervened in construction projects in Stanford, advocating for local employment, and fought exploitation of undocumented workers by some local companies, where migrant workers face low pay and poor conditions. Much like SAFTU, Sithonga criticised the DA's policies in Western Cape, which he says encouraged exploitation and contributed to workplace accidents, including last year's deadly collapse in George. 'We demand that South Africans get priority in leasing public buildings and that racial discrimination in workplaces ends,' he declared. On the anniversary of their march for local employment, Sithonga called for continued resistance against capitalism.
