Why the workers voice COSATU says ANC
is the workers choice for the 2024 elections
COSATU calls on workers to vote ANC because:
The ANC led the struggle for freedom and no other party can take half of the credit due to
the ANC for bringing freedom and democracy in our land. Its leaders and members suffered
severely for their efforts to achieve a united democratic non-racial and non-sexist South African.
Nelson Mandela spent 27 years in prison, Oliver Tambo spent over 30 years in exile, many
were hanged and thousands shot by apartheid police in the streets. This unparalleled track
record makes the ANC the only party we can entrust with our hard-won freedom. Workers
should never allow our country to go back to apartheid and Bantustans. COSATU is not just
asking workers to vote for the ANC for sentimental reasons. Workers have achieved what they
have achieved so far because the ANC historically is biased towards workers. Since 1994, it
has helped to build a better life for our people. The box lists some of the biggest achievements
workers have registered under the ANC government.
The ANC has protected and promoted workers’ rights:
Our constitution gives workers the right to form and join unions, to strike and picket, to conclude
union security agreements such as closed shop and agency shop, the right to collective
bargaining and has blocked the inclusion of the lock-out in the constitution. In addition to
these constitutionally guaranteed rights the ANC has passed laws to protect and give rights
to workers.
These include the following laws:
The Labour Relations Act stops unfair dismissals and victimisation. It established the CCMA
to settle disputes and to hear cases involving unfair dismissals. It regulates the right to strike
and promotes centralised bargaining that helps workers to provide solidarity to other workers
who have no strength to bargain and force settlements on employers. The Basic Conditions
of Employment Act gives all workers decent minimum conditions; including leave, reasonable
hours of work and overtime pay. Under the BCEA, the Minister of Labour has set minimum
wages for the workers that face the harshest conditions, including domestic and farm workers.
The National Skills Development Act makes all employers pay something for training. It
supports recognition of workers’ existing skills gained through experience. It gives unions a
voice in training plans in workplaces and industries.
The Employment Equity Act calls for the addressing of the inequalities resulting from years
of discrimination of blacks and women in the workplace. It requires employers to do more
to promote representation of black and women workers in more senior and better paying
positions. The health and safety laws have been consolidated and give workers many rights,
including the right to form workplace committees to ensure health and safety, the right to
compensation for job-related injuries and diseases, and the right to refuse doing dangerous
work. The ANC government has also prohibited compulsory testing for diseases such as HIV
and AIDS. These laws provided workers with a comprehensive package that many workers
all over the world would feel very lucky to have. Many of the political parties who are asking
workers to vote for them opposed these laws protecting workers in parliament, and still want
to weaken them. Like the employers, they complain that these laws give too much protection
to workers. The ANC has given our people a voice in the state through democratic institutions
at all levels. The ANC government has set up consultative processes, including NEDLAC that
let poor people’s organisations like COSATU influence policy decisions. It set up a framework
for strong, participatory local government. It has also set up school and hospital boards and
other structures to assist communities in overseeing their local institutions.
Social gains and rights
In addition, the ANC government has built a million houses that • provide shelter to
millions of people.
- Improved access to education by building thousands of new classrooms and ensured
that 4.5 million children receive free meals at school - Extended social grants to seven million more people, including both old-age and
child care grants - Extended clean water to over 80% of all households, and electricity to over 70%
of households - Ensured all our people have equitable access to healthcare, with free healthcare
for mothers and children under six years old, and built hundreds of new clinics - Developed plans to roll out treatment of AIDS with anti-retroviral drugs, which can
stop the disease from worsening for many years.
We know that progress has often been slower than we expected when we won the great
victory against apartheid ten years ago. We could not overcome 300 years of colonialism
and apartheid in a single decade. Only the ANC can make government do even more for
transformation and, where needed, deal with problem areas. COSATUosatu remains unhappy
with government’s record on jobs. Far too many jobs have been lost and job creation has been
very slow. Moreover, casual, outsourced, and informal jobs have replaced many permanent,
quality jobs. Moreover, COSATU still disagrees with some of the government economic
policies. We have a campaign against privatisation of basic services. We believe government
should have moved much faster to develop a comprehensive prevention and treatment strategy for HIV and Aids. Still, the gains of the past ten years far outweigh the setbacks.
As an independent organisation, COSATU can always disagree with the ANC government on
some issues. Endorsing the ANC during the elections does not mean those disagreements
suddenly disappear. But the areas where we agree far outweigh the areas of disagreements. In
contrast, we can never agree on key principles with the other parties, which are fundamentally
aligned to the bosses and the rich. COSATU will continue to engage the ANC around key policy
issues. But we can only reach our goals if we as workers make sure that the ANC scores a
strong win in this election.
We must take forward our programme toward 2035, which we agreed at our Congress last
year. In it, we said COSATU must make sure workers have a strong voice in elections, in ANC
structures, and in all democratic institutions. It is critical that all our shop stewards, activists and
members work for an ANC victory. We must campaign so that all workers and communities
vote ANC. That is the only way we can protect workers’ rights and their political and social
gains. Every worker must vote ANC.
The importance of voting
- Elections have consequences. Every vote matters.
You have the power to make key decisions on the quality of life you want for yourself,
your family, and your community. Voting is your chance to stand up for the issues you
care about like affordable housing, economic justice, environmental protection, and quality
education, quality jobs, self-employment, skills development and total emancipation of the
workers and the working class. - It’s your right. Not voting is giving up your voice.
Today, most American citizens over the age of 18 are entitled to vote in National and
Provincial elections, but voting was not a right prior to 1994. We now have the Constitution
which guarantees us the right to vote, remember right was limited soon after the first and
second world wars which we fought side by side with our fellow citizens but at the end of
it they disposed us, and unleashed separate development, underdevelopment, and other
forms of hubris conundrums. Today we endure this right at behest of unwavering sacrifices
of our people sacrificed their lives and for us gain freedoms we have; this cannot be
compromised by chronic pseudo politicians whose intentions is to collapse the revolution
by selling it to the highest bidder. Our vote is not free, has conditions attached to it which
will be outlined in our list of demands from the ruling party. - It’s your money. One way or the other, every person in our community pays taxes – both citizens and noncitizens. And yet, most people don’t know how that money is being used. Voting is your chance to choose how your taxes are spent, such as additional funding for the national Health Insurance, health care services, and a comprehensive and responsive social security services. This happens both through your vote on specific propositions and ballot measures, as well as those we elect to leadership positions that commit to supporting key social services in our communities. Deeal with the crisis of social reproduction, abject poverty, destitute and homelessness, apprehend crime against citizens, eradicate backwardness and behaviours and live within the spirit of UBUNTU. Advance the worker control phenomenon for workers to penetrate the key sites of production through progressive collective investments to better the lives of the workers and the working across generations.
- Voting is an opportunity for change for the better. It cannot be business as usual for politicians who after being voted then decide who to align with in their luxurious board rooms, in fact we need to delink luxury from political responsibilities, more emphasis be on accountability, transparency, and that there is no law shall be passed without our voices of endorsement. Do you want to make a positive impact in your community? Voting gives you that chance! There are many social issues affected by elections, including (but not limited to) gay marriage, reproductive rights, environmental issues, public education, etc. Social issues affect everyone in one way or another. To have a say in who gets to determine social agendas, it’s essential to vote.
- The community depends on you! Our communities are made up of family, friends, loved ones, neighbours, siblings and children. Some may not know how important voting is, while others cannot vote. Make the decision to vote to be a voice for yourself and those around you.
Make sure your voice is Heard – your vote is your Health.
VOTE ANC to help make a difference in your community during these
general elections!
COSATU, SACP, SANCO says VOTE the ANC to Protect yourselves from subjugation.
By visiting our website, you can check your registration status, voting locations, and download
other resources to help get out the vote in your community. If you do not quality to vote, you
can still participate through volunteering.
Get informed.
Read up on issues (both local and national) and figure out where you stand. Be able to offer
helpful information about what to expect on next year’s ballot, the face of the campaign is
President Cyril Ramaphosa, and each voter must know the ANC brand in totality as there are
many black green and gold parties who seek to confuse voters. The overly confident ANC must
relook how the electoral act has been compromising it for year memorial.
Get out and talk to people.
Even if you cannot vote, you can still voice opinions in public forums. When people engage
each other about the issues, we stand to become better-informed citizens.
Volunteer.
You can work with outreach campaigns by volunteering to get out the vote in your community
through phone banks, door-to-door outreach, and texting, loud hailing, festivities etc.
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