Call for workers to break the Cosatu alliance with the ANC and SACP

Update 15 April

The brutal attack by the police on the Satawu strikers means that the strike has now become a political strike as the forces of the state have directly intervened to attempt to smash the strike, on behalf of the bosses.

Several of the ANC leaders have, through so called black economic empowerment, become owners of transport companies. They have a direct interest in smashing the strike.

The SACP is playing the leading role in smashing the strike as they run the police ministry on behalf of the capitalists.

We call on all strikers to demand an immediate calling of an extended shopsteward council in all regions, where all unions, social movements and workers organizations are invited. There are many struggles of the social movements and the rest of the working class as well.

We call on all workers who are about to be retrenched to form a committee and to join with the satawu strikers in struggle, also demanding the calling of an extended council of the working class.

The agenda is one point- how to unite the struggles for decent housing for all, the immediate stopping of retrenchments, the strengthening of the strike and defeat of the agenda of the capitalists and their state. Only the working class united in struggle can defeat the attempts of the bosses to make us pay for their crisis.

We call for the Satawu strike committee to take the lead in calling such an extended council of action. If the union and cosatu leadership refuse, we call on the strikers to take control of their unions and federations, through occupation of the union offices, if necessary. Prepare workers self-defence committees against police brutality.

We call on the Satawu strikers and the broader working class to also join the vigil on the 21st April in River Park, Alexandra- your fight is the same as the millions demanding decent houses for all.

Forward to the Satawu strike!

Forward to decent houses for all! Stop the retrenchments!

Expropriate the bosses! They are the crisis- the working class is the solution!

Down with the alliance with the capitalist ANC and SACP!

Workers International Vanguard League condemns the police attacks on striking Satawu workers on Tuesday 14 April 2009. The strikers have legitimate demands especially in the light of high food and transport prices. Their demand is in fact far too low for what the working class needs. The imperialist banks are making the working class pay for their 'crisis' of lower profits by cutting the wages of the working class. Why have the union leaders put such a low demand of 13% and why is there no solidarity being organised by the Cosatu federation? The union leaders are going all out for an election campaign victory of the capitalist ANC while the workers are being smashed. It is high time the workers threw out their leaders, broke the alliance with the capitalist ANC and SACP, and launch a real fight against the capitalists and their lackeys in government. An ANC victory means more shootings on strikers and communities in struggle.

We salute the strikers and the community of Alexandra for their resistance against the capitalist class and their state. It is the same fight. We call for the broader working class to give solidarity to the strikers in every way possible. We call on the broader working class to give solidarity to the community of Alexandra, by also supporting the night vigil at River park on the 21st April and continuing on the day of the elections 22nd April- the demand remains decent housing for all- a vote for any of the parties on the day of the elections is a vote for continued slavery of the working class, is a vote for permanent homelessness and permanent low wages and unemployment.

Shaheed Mahomed, Secretary, Workers International Vanguard League
1st Floor, Community House, 41 Salt River rd., Salt River. South Africa 7925
ph 0822020617 fax 0880214476777
workersinternational@gmail.com web www.workersinternational.org.za