Pointman

On the one hand I understand Cosatu's stance in that they have been sidelined and we have chaos. But did they not go to sleep. It seems that Cosatu officials were too busy looking after their business interests to worry about their real job of fighting for the workers.
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!!Sinudeity!!

COSATU is busy making lots of noise at the moment. They have been deemed irrelevant, and they want to make it appear that they are not.

Anyways, I blame the unions and the workers. A report was released showing that the mine strikers are in huge debt, and being ripped off by micro-lenders. Hence, even though they signed and agreed to contracts and increases last year, they threw away the contracts for more money. Merely to pay their debts.

Blame is on the unions and the mine workers.
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Traveljunie

The unions are solely to blame for this mess, no one else. Greedy bunch just want fees, they feel nothing for the workers. They just promise workers unreasonble and un realistic increases just to make sure they pay their fees to them.


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MorenaWaPolelo

This is a joke maybe the mines must shut down the business I mean there are minerals in Africa they can set up shop there.......how do you expect to shear in the my profits if you made no down payment this is rediculus sies maan!!!!
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malemaforpresident

The so called alliance is nonsense we need independent labour federations Vavi is aliant to the ANC led Government with which most ministers are the share holders in the mines and now he claim to represent the interest of the workers that bull shiiit AMCU is the sole federation that represent the interests of the miners not Cosatu or NUM Viva AMCU viiiiva
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Mgaraji

You will see all black people will critisize black unions. Why is it when black people have to confront whites, blacks prefer to critisize & fight amongs themselves? Why can't we let people fight for what they believe they deserve. if others cannot assist them, just shut up.
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Dlamza

The problem now is that people who went to school are now earing less than miners and truck drivers. The government should expect all industries to strike. There will be a lot of school drop-outs as education is not supported at this point. Why study hard for years and earn less than people who are uneducated.
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Mgaraji

@Dlamza:
Why blame truck drivers & miners for fighting for what they believe in while graduates are satisfied with enjoying aircons, sharing boardroom with caucasian and playing an understanding of the text book game. Why can't you inspire graduate to fight for better salaries.
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Mdeeva

No Vavi no,you cannot solely blame employers,your federation supposed to be mediating and remedieng the situation that is why employees pay labour uniouns. So if the tough gets going the federation protect itself by blaming. No wonder employees lost faith on labour uniouns they are cowards. Who heard the speech by Vavi yesterday on truck strike march and I qoute "We wont stop until there is no cent in the ATMs, We wont stop until there is a last drop of fuel in this country"and he call himself a leader,you dont remedy the situation by taking sides you idiot
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mashima?

South Africa is rotten. The ANC government has failed its people over for the passed 18 years, now people are enough of empty promises.

If i can make a comparison - an 18 year old child is matured some they even have children and have acquired several responsibilities, but with this government nothing rather than stealing from its suppoters.

There are a lot still to come, they managed to bribe the civil servant, not mineworkers, now truck drivers, guess who is next. May be JZ himself.
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Mgaraji

@Mdeeva
By being General Secretary of Cosatu, he is on the side of the workers. He cannot be nuetral. CCMA is neutral, not Vavi.
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MommaC

Why is Vavi going directly against NUM? Is this another case of him shouting about VAT on brown bread?

Had to laugh about the bunch of dyslexics at the diamond mine who are demanding R21,500 and the other lot who have now decided that R16,500 AFTER deductions is the minimum. They are really mocking now.

Oh, and Limpopo (un)civil servants are going on strike today. The province is poorer than a church mouse but they are going on strike.

I hate strike season!
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Mgaraji

@MommaC
I hate strike season!
________________________________
Caucasians can never be infavour of the strike season.
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MommaC

Mgaraji

I wouldn't know. I don't speak to anyone in the Caucus Mountains. I do, however, know that most people in SA don't enjoy strike season
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Mdeeva

@ Mgarija

But dude he is causing more fire and what he is starting will strike back at him,if the strike is getting worse it is always the unioun that takes blame for the fact that they are failing to bargain with the employer.
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Mgaraji

Mdeeva
My brother, why can't you blame the employer you seem to defend for being stubborn. During the salary negotiation period we always see Cosatu affiliated Unions on strike. What more evidence do you want to see to convince yourself that Unions negotiate and strike for their course. Everyone who stand on the podium complain of inequality yet when people fight to address inequality we complain.
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Lehido

I blame everyone involved:

1. Workers - For illigal strike, and killing those who didnt want to strike. If you have 10 kids knowing very well that your salary cannot afford them, its not your employer's problem.
2. Management - for letting their workers live in dire situations. And pocketing millions of rands in bonuses while their workers are not well looked after.
3. Unions - For promising workers heaven and earth when they know that it's not that simple.
4. Politicias - For turning this into a political fracas, and making it about themselves instead of the poor workers.
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Mdeeva

@Lehido

Amen brother nicely put
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The-Rothschilds

COSATU have been caught out for been sell outs..............no amount of anti-mine boss rhetoric can save you from your own exposed greed.

In life we all want to get ahead. Socialism is a fallacy. People who portray to have the poor people's interests at heart are those you should really watch carefully.

Mining bosses are not shy to show their true intentions, COSATU has revealed theirs to. The way out of this situation is if the ANC pushes mine workers to be something better than a manual slave labourer! This means education and skill!!!
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Mdeeva

@ Mgarija

I am not being stubborn brother just realistic.There are labour laws which are not supposed to be undermined,and if Cosatu as head of uniouns feel that they can meet all the strikers demands especially miners demands, I will certainly loose faith in their ability to bargain, they should not always give in to employees demands they strike a balance.

Let me tell you what will happen if all the striking miners' demands are met. The mining board will consider general labour and require qualifications from employees since the money they requiring is for skilled labour not general labour,then what more retrenchments,then situation gets worse than better. Or better yet the board give 80% responsibility to all mining contractors,by so doing they are cutting off their losses but production still runs.

Therefore it is very important not to anger the employer especially a private employer because they have the power to do anything.The uniouns should strike the balance (not give in to employees demands and not accept an offer that is against the employees, a median offer is appropriate)
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Mgaraji

@Mdeeva
I said blame the employer who is stubborn, not you.
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Mdeeva

No offence taken brother but do you see where I am getting at?
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slowfootsurefoot

Does Vavi have strike fund to sustain a strike for 6 months as he has threatened to do.
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MommaC

Mgaraji

I think the problem is that NUM are trying to negotiate a win / win situation and Cosatu are shouting about one party being 'evil'. That doesn't make for a good environment for negotiations.
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P4T

Vavi, my brada, yekani ukuzixhamlisa ngendaba zeANC. Kulapho nibethakale khona. Nina niyiCosatu concentrathani kwingxaki zabasebenzi and ni prioritize ekuzisombululeni. iANC yes i important to your causes zabasebenzi but not in this knee deep fashion. Also nani niyi leadership try not to be like the ANC where leaders are in positions for themselves, careers and welfare to the detriment of delivering to their constituency needs.

Just an advise. Because abelungu bona they are smarter than thina bomzi onstundu in that they always take care of their interests and their own but thina bodarkie siyathengisana especially when we see ourselves out of poverty and with power. Abelungu will always such space to devide and rule us because asinamqolo kwathina especially when they dangle that nice bright carrot in our hungry mouths.
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Tasto

Vavi is riding on the back of the Blackminers of Marikana victory achieved on black lives\blood lost at hands of anc governement which he is part of it the TtriApartheid Aliens!!
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mjimara

COSATU is busy romancing the ANC and forgotten its mandate. I'm certain COSATU can do better without the ANC. This cohabiting is only masquerading to sell-out on the masses and nothing more.

Over the past 18 years COSATU has achieved nothing and only fucused their energy to supporting the ANC and make it win elections. They have done nothing for themselves and cannot show anything for its existence.

By supporting the ANC, COSATU is an accomaplice to corruption and maladministration that continues to plague our country.

Their main constituent, workers, died in Marikana and they are busy kissing the ANC. COSATU allowed Juju to do what they (COSATU) was supposed to be doing. COSATU was suppoed to criss-cross the country's mining industry immediately after the Marikana murders. Marikana should have given COSATU sleepless nights. Instead COSATU went to a good night sleep romancing the ANC.

I saw Vavi on TV yestrady holding hand with SATAWU members - he should have held hands with the workers in Marikana too - they needed him more after the murders.
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Yeun

@Mdeeva, I fully agree with you, vavi exposes himself that he isn't a leader. He is an idiot indeed. His comment pains me, because is a common behavioral disoder of so called tripatite alliance. COSATU is is dom
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