NEHAWU CONDEMNS HELEN ZILLE FOR THE DAMAGE CAUSED AND THE BLOOD SPILLED YESTERDAY DURING THE MARCH TO COSATU HOUSE BY THE DA'S LUMPEN PROLETARIAT

NEHAWU condemns the damage of property and the spilling of blood that happened yesterday during a march to the federation of organised workers, Cosatu by the Democratic Alliance {DA} and their rent-a-crowd. It was very immoral of the DA to bus in, from around the country, some very poor black South Africans, who were not going to say no to a free trip to Johannesburg, a t-shirt and a food parcel and lead them on a futile march against other sections of the working class organised by Cosatu.

This though will not fool the majority of poor people who have suffered and witnessed the suffering of their fellow citizens at the hands of the DA led province of the Western Cape. The same DA that was leading a mob to go and make a nuisance of themselves at Cosatu House is vehemently opposed to the total banning of labour brokers therefore keeping millions of workers beholden to their exploitative slave masters.

The same DA is opposed to the idea of universal healthcare and is doing its outmost best to frustrate the implementation of the National Health Insurance{NHI}.The NHI will benefit the poor who are currently unable to afford healthcare and are dependent on an overburdened public health sector. The majority of black people will never be bought and will never vote against their interests.

The Federation and its affiliates fight for full time decent jobs but not for a two tier labour market system that will be created by the implementation of a youth wage subsidy. When the DA, a party of bosses and big capital fights for a youth wage subsidy, it does so to ensure an unemployed layer of youth are exploited and forced to accept lower salaries in order for the bosses to increase their profits.

We are not surprised that the leader of the DA as a representative of monopoly capital, in her frustration and desperation ,is attempting to position unemployed workers against Cosatu. It is not Cosatu that has caused the 40% unemployment in this country; it is the system of capitalism that DA unapologetically advances that has led to more workers and families losing their livelihoods. They still continue to promote capitalism despite the fact that recently it has been collapsing and is being rejected by the working class in the North.

Cosatu, its affiliates, the ANC and the progressive youth alliance of Gauteng took to the streets to defend the federation and block an attack on Cosatu House. They never declared a strike or called for a march but did what comes naturally to anyone or any organisation that feels under siege, defended their property and their leadership.

Workers who gathered in Braamfontein to defend the federation were stoned by the rent-a-crowd and were also shot at by the police. The DA with their bricks and stones damaged several cars and hurt many people. To add insult to injury the metro police shot wildly into the crowd more than once and injured many workers.

We want to make it clear that we will not hesitate to occupy the streets of Johannesburg again to defend our federation and its leaders. The DA can lead the lumpen elements of society; they can exploit the vulnerability of poor unemployed people because that is the only way it pretends to have a mass base in the black communities.

We call on all those workers and students who were injured and citizens whose cars were damaged to send their bills to Helen Zille and her party because they organized this provocative march. They must take full responsibility for the actions of their rented-mob because they organized the march not Cosatu.

Furthermore we call on Helen Zille to resign as Premier and leader of the opposition as she is not fit to hold the office. She must take responsibility for all the damaged property in the Johannesburg CBD, and the blood of innocent people that was spilt yesterday.

She is a racist who refers to black South Africans as refugees in their own country, she oversees corrupt advertising contracts on behalf of the provincial government and is unapologetic about this.

She must go now!!

Statement issued by Sizwe Pamla, NEHAWU Media Liaison Officer, May 16 2012

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