FAWU Commemorates the 30th Anniversary of Neil Aggett Death
The Food and Allied Workers Union (FAWU) wants to pay tribute to one of our great former leaders, Dr. Neil Aggett, a white trade union leader and fierce labour activist who died in detention on 5 February 1982 after being arrested by the South African Security Police on November 27, 1981, whilst busy organizing a mass action campaign meeting in Langa in Cape Town.
Before his detention, Dr Neil Aggett rendered services as a physician in several black hospitals at the time where he learnt to speak Zulu and became more and more involved with trade union activities. He joined FAWU, then Food and Canning Workers Union (FCWU), as an organizer and rose in the rank to become Transvaal Provincial Secretary. He played a central role in the successful Fatti's and Moni's strike in Isando and the organizing of workers in the food industry.
At the time, the Security police claimed that he committed suicide by hanging himself after spending 70 days in detention without trial. No prosecution was ever brought for his death. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission called the case a "troubling inquest" and suggested that the apartheid regime had various ways of disposing of its opponents.
Fellow Detainee, Frank Chikane, saw Aggett after one of his interrogations and recalled that he was badly injured at the time. About 15 000 people attended Neil Aggett's 11 February 1982 funeral and FCWU called for a stayaway on the day to which thousands of workers responded.
On Sunday, 5 February 2012 it will be 30 years since Neil Aggett's death. To this day FAWU believes justice was not done in the case of Neil Aggett and that he did not commit suicide and that there is much more to the case than what have been led to believe. Even the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) could not conclusively unearth the whole truth on the murder of Neil Aggett .
We will always remember him as a great doctor, fine human being, friend of workers and the ill and a committed labour activist who has died for what he believed in, a non-racial, non-sexist, much-more-egalitarian and democratic South Africa.
As FAWU, we hope to convene a small commemoration event in the week of the 13-17 February at the Neil Aggett House, 90 President Street, Johannesburg, 2000.
Long Live the Spirit of Neil Aggett
Statement issued by FAWU General Secretary Katishi Masemola, February 2 2012
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