SACP Launches Red October Campaign AT ZZ2 farm in Limpopo Province

3 October 2003

On Sunday, 5 October 2003 the General Secretary of the South African Communist Party (SACP), Blade Nzimande, the President of COSATU, Willie Madisha, speakers from the ANC and SAAPAWU will join more than 1000 workers dismissed earlier this year at the ZZ2 farm to launch the SACP's Red October Campaign and take forward the struggle of these workers for their reinstatement.

The launch will be held as follows:
DATE : Sunday, 5 October 2003
TIME : 10h30 – 13h00 VENUE : Mooeketsi Community Hall, ZZ2 Farm, Duiwelskloof, Limpopo Province

By taking up the case of the dismissed ZZ2 farm workers, the SACP seeks to highlight the plight of farm workers in our country. We just cannot drop and forget the case of more than 1000 farm workers who were unfairly dismissed by the ZZ2 farm in the Limpopo Province for demanding that ZZ2 farm must comply with the new minimum wages set by law. These workers have now been living in poverty without any income for more than 6 months whilst the employer has continued to make profits and enjoying high life: a typical case of sacrificing the working class for the benefit of the bosses. The Communist Party will therefore use its Red October Campaign for 2003 to put pressure on the owners of the ZZ2 farm to ensure that the dismissed workers are reinstated.

Since this dismissal, the Bertie Van Zyl (Pty) Ltd which owns the ZZ2 farm has displayed arrogance and disregard for worker’ rights. The employer has refused to reinstate the dismissed workers, has undermined and has refused to negotiate with their union, SAAPAWU. All this arrogance despite the fact that the Department of Labour announced intentions to take legal action against those farmers that refuse to comply with the sectoral determination.

Because the case of ZZ2 workers is just one case, the SACP will use the Red October Campaign to call on and mobilise all farm workers to come forward and report cases of retrenchments, abuse, racism, beatings and unfair working and living conditions to the Department of Labour, trade unions and the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC).

OTHER RED OCTOBER CAMPAIGN ACTIVITIES

Overall, the 2003 Red October Campaign will focus on:

• mobilisation of vulnerable workers (farm workers, domestic workers, and un-unionised workers employed in SMMEs) to join trade unions and to claim their rights in terms of the law
• assessment of service delivery, in particular free basic services (water, electricity and sanitation) by municipalities to poor and working class communities (townships, inner cities, rural villages and informal settlements)
• Social Security Registration
• ID Applications Campaign
• Taking forward the Banks Campaign by holding a National Consultative Forum of the Financial Sector Campaign Coalition on 08 October 2003
• Launch of the Dora Tamana Savings and Credit Co-operative on 1 November

SOCIAL SECURITY REGISTRATION AND ID APPLICATIONS

Through the focus on social security registration, the SACP will take forward its ongoing work on:

• Mobilisation for the registration of those who qualify for social security grants but are not registered
• Problems in the social security system
• The need for a comprehensive social security system including the consideration of a Basic Income Grant

For a year now, SACP structures and activists, working together with our allies, social movements and community based organisations have gone door-to-door, holding community meetings and factory lunch-hour meetings, visiting pension pay-out points, and Social Development and Home Affairs offices.

Part of the ongoing work will include mobilising and assisting people to apply for Identity Documents in order that they may access social services and grants and to start mobilisation of communities to register as voters for the 2004 general election

CONTACT
Mazibuko Kanyiso Jara (surname Jara)
Department of Information, Media and Publicity
South African Communist Party
Tel – 011 339 3621; Fax – 011 339 4244, Cell – 083 651 0271
Email – mazibuko@sacp.org.za