Sat May 18 17:05:30 SAST 2013
Sat May 18 17:05:30 SAST 2013

'We are sitting on a time bomb'

Jul 3, 2012 | Canaan Mdletshe | 71 comments

UNEMPLOYMENT among Africans was deepening so much that the poor will one day storm into the offices of politicians with their broken shoes and turned T-shirts to enquire about the future.

STORM COMING: Jacob Zuma

"We are sitting on a time bomb, ready to explode," warned Cosatu general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi yesterday.

"Poor people will one day march against us if we keep on making promises and keep none."

Vavi was addressing a Cosatu provincial conference a few days after President Jacob Zuma promised delegates at the ANC policy conference that there would be a "giant lead" and "radical" policy shift to deal with anger among the poor.

Vavi said that in 1995, unemployment among Africans was estimated to be 38% and it stood at 45% 10 years later.

"Overall, the unemployment rate in the South African economy was 31% in 1995 and increased to 39% in 2005. As of 2009, the rate of participation of Africans in the labour force was 52% and for whites it was 68%. "Among Africans of working age, only 36% are absorbed into employment compared to 65% of whites."

Income inequality was still racialised with an average African man earning about R2400 per month while an average white man earns around R19000 per month.

Vavi blamed all the problems on the country's education system, which he described as dysfunctional and ineffective.

"The poor's children remain trapped in inferior mud classes."

Comments

Sat May 18 17:05:30 SAST 2013 ::
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Jul 3, 2012

Pointman

Is Cosatu is part of the problem? No acknowledgement of that. Unions have a vital role to plan in worker rights but when the labour laws favour labour at the expense of the employers they will take their investments elsewhere.
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Jul 3, 2012

Shredder

You damn right about that one Mr President. Tell your ministers and tenderpreneurs to stop looting our tax money for self-empowerment.

Iyyooooooooo!!! We gonna get 1000 posts from somaartakeit :-D
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Jul 3, 2012

Shredder

Good mornig tpaz -D

Not in the mood for reading today

================Disconnecting=====================
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Jul 3, 2012

MommaC

So Cosatu has a teachers union that holds our children to ransom every year but Vavi says education is the problem? The man speaks out of both sides of his face so often that he even confuses himself.

Cosatu couldn't give a damn about the unemployed. They are only concerned about the ones who pay union fees. Bunch of blerrie parasites
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Jul 3, 2012

MicaParis

Now the Commander in Chief is coming back to his senses! When we advice these guys people it help! Make that noise please the more you make it, it makes sense! We had been appealing to the President to listen too much to the people on the ground and the peoples suggestions seems to be bearing the fruits! We will still politely ask the President to initiate the following

1. Open Political participation to academically and intellectually deserving civil servants to serve in our Government more often on merit but not on Political ground for the sake of quality production on service delivery issues, those individuals might be sourced from Universities, Civil Society, NGO's and Community Forums.
2. Promulgate a Legislation which must have a Constitutional basis and effects, that will enable the 59 million South African citizens to elect the President, Deputy President, Ministers, Deputy Ministers, Speaker of Parliament, Chiefwhip, Premiers, MEC's and Mayors, so that we can see if 59 million South Africans will make a mistake to elect leaders like Cele and Mahlangu Nkabinde and etc.
3. The ANC should let the 59 million South Africans to advance a reasonability test when electing leaders from Branch level to the top NEC hierarchy as the freedom charter said the people shall govern.
4. A radical change is needed were ANC must make sure that the General Public elect the leaders that they want to participate within the leadership ranks of the ANC so that leaders who are corrupt and have got a very bad track record cannot make it to the Political positions to do what they are proven to have done! as such we will see if leaders of ANC who are fond of buying delegates will be able to buy 59 million South Africans who will be in charge of electing leaders as they know them from their motherhood background.
5. ANC must make sure that Regional citizens contribute to election of Regional leaders and Provincial Conferences and National Conferences of leadership so that we can have members of Civil society deciding on who should lead us so that criminals and leaders with bad morals can be eliminated not to damage the image of the ANC as the Public is aware and knows those isolated individuals.
6. ANC must be seen to be allowing the Public to actively participate in its programmes so that a Liberation Movement can be turned in to a Social Democratic Movement which is accustom of the Present and the future, thereby creating a large pool of leadership capabilities and capacities with strong educational and moral human content.
With all this and other possible advices from other people, people will love and adore the ANC as the Party of the poor and marginalised!
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Jul 3, 2012

Dandalo

But who can really trust our president? Take Sbu Ndebele case, the Sanral CEO is supposed to report to his office but because he is having direct access to Zuma, he undermined Ndebele by going straight to pres Zuma and pres Zuma is not pointing him back to Cronin and Ndebele, he replaced them, maybe by Guptas instructions. What happened to his leadership? Why is it that the case against the people of SA (e-tolling) by our monies is been run around by Gordhan and not Ndebele? Who is running president Zuma? Is the ANC really leading this country? If you want more deteriorations, re-elect him in Mangaung. You will be run by few people who do not even have your interests at heart.
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Jul 3, 2012

DJWinner

That is why Zuma presented a second transiton. People are rejecting it and continue to whine...ha ha ha...Typical South Africans.
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Jul 3, 2012

DJWinner

That is why Government tabled a wage subsidy. Cosatu is rejecting it and continue to whine...ha ha ha...Typical South Africans.

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Jul 3, 2012

Papage

We will one day all of us go to Inkantla and demand food, stay there as much as we could, until something happens, Mr President, prepare for us all, we are coming to your homestate, not that we disrespect you, but because you are our Father and Fathers must provide for their children according to the law of this country, we are coming.
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Jul 3, 2012

Maestro

Ant you the one who stopped the youth wage subsidy that was suppose to minimise unemployment….?
Mr. Vavi you can’t have it both ways…Its either you participate or shout from the fence….
Please give us your ideas on how this can be avoided…

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