SAMWU supports ANCYL march and transformation of economy

The South African Municipal Workers Union (SAMWU) supports the march to take place this week by the ANCYL, to radically transform our economy, to serve the majority and not the minority. Both SAMWU and our Federation COSATU have resolutions of this nature; we strongly believe that the transformation of the country's economic trajectory is necessary.

We will support all initiatives of this nature, especially if it is a campaign of one of our Alliance Structures.

These initiatives to transform our economy should have involved all Alliance partners. This way we would have been able to bring a hundred thousand to the street, demanding transformation.

The transformation of the economy must be central to all our efforts, as the Tripartite Alliance, especially if we are to create decent work and eradicate poverty. As the Freedom Charter of 1955 said; all commanding heights of the economy must be transferred to the ownership of the people as a whole. We will continue to use the Freedom Charter to inform all our campaigns and initiatives.

We also fully support the ANC's approach; that the transformation of the South African economy should always be holistic and comprehensive, covering all sectors of the economy. In this regard, the ANC should ensure greater State involvement and control of strategic sectors of the economy, such as mining, energy, the financial sector and others.

Of particular importance; the decent work agenda and our living wage campaign, this is sure to place our economy on a new job creating and more equitable growth path.

We will be waiting on the outcome of the bilateral meeting between our Federation COSATU and the ANCYL, which would determine whether we would be supporting the march on the streets or not.

Statement issued by Tahir Sema, SAMWU, October 24 2011

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