Even though there has been tensions within the tripartite alliance partnership over the past few years, the National Education, Health and Allied Workers Union (Nehawu) says it will continue to fight for the alliance to continue working together in the fight for the emancipation of the majority of the country’s working class.
This was the sentiment shared by Nehawu president Michael Shingange during a media briefing held at the Parktonian Hotel in Braamfontein on Monday.
Shingange said the past five years have been challenging for the poor working class, adding that the relationship between the sixth administration and its alliance partners were at an all time low.
“The relationship has been combative. In a space of five years all the gains of the NDR have been reversed. We have been on record as saying that the gains of the NDR have been reversed and we have come to the decision that going forward, we must fight harder to ensure that we turn this situation around.
“The alliance still remains the only platform where we can continue to fight for the gains of the working class; breaking away from the alliance is not the solution at this point,” Shingange said.
The union’s secretary-general, December Mavuso, indicated that the National Democratic Revolution is being threatened by forces opposed to the transformation agenda which have necessitated calls for the SACP to contest elections next year.
“The CEC, reaffirmed our perspective that the NDR is at a critical point of stagnation -- facing multiple threats from various forces that are fundamentally opposed to the transformation agenda ...
“On the 2024 elections, the entry point of the CEC was to reaffirm the correctness of our resolutions and that of Cosatu must contest the elections. However, the SACP having resolved to contest with the reconfigured alliance, the CEC after frank and robust deliberations agreed to defend the gains of our resolutions by aligning with Cosatu and the SACP,” he said.
This also included the welcoming of the recent adoption by the National Council of Provinces (NCOP), of the National Health Insurance Bill last week. This comes after Nehawu recently concluded its 12th National COngress from December 6-8.
“The CEC has welcomed the recent developments regarding the passing of the NHI Bill by Parliament. In this regard, the union reiterates its call for Cyril Ramaphosa to sign the bill into law before the end of the sixth administration.
“The passing of the bill represents a major breakthrough in the quest of providing adequate healthcare to all South Africans, regardless of economic status,” Mavuso said.
The union also called on the government to reconsider its decision to cut the funding of the National Student Fund Aid Scheme (NSFAS) as well as the investigation into the allegations of corruption at the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF).
Mavuso said the union’s Central Executive Committee (CEC) is gravely concerned by the serious allegations of corruption at the UIF as well as the manipulation of the rand by the banks.
“On the UIF, the CEC expressed concern about the administration and governance of the fund, especially serious allegations of corruption levelled against Minister Thula Nxesi.
“Given the seriousness of the allegations, we call on the law enforcement agencies to institute investigations into the allegations of corruption and maladministration at UIF,” Mavuso said.
“On the rand manipulation, the CEC categorically condemned the manipulation of the rand and dollar exchange by the implicated 28 banks and called for criminal prosecution of those involved rather than just the imposition of fines,” he added.
The Star