COSATU's expectations from the State of the Nation Address

The Congress of South African Trade Unions is awaiting with great anticipation President Jacob Zuma's second State of the Nation Address on Thursday evening, 11 February 2010, the historic 20th anniversary of the release of Comrade Nelson Mandela from the prisons of apartheid.

The federation's response to last year's address was very positive, noting that it was "totally consistent with the ANC's progressive election manifesto" and that it "sends a message of hope to workers and the poor of South Africa."

We particularly appreciated that he did not try to use the massive global economic crisis as an excuse for watering down the bold promises made in the ANC elections manifesto, which was backed by 67% of the population.

This year we shall be expecting a similar determination to keep on course and in line with the manifesto's policy priorities, which were:

·    Creation of decent work and sustainable livelihoods

·    Education

·    Health

·    Rural development, food security and land reform

·    The fight against crime and corruption.

This time around we insist that the President go beyond statements of intent, but accounts on progress made on the commitments and outlines plans to address stumbling blocks to progress in the following areas:

a)  On creation of decent work and sustainable livelihoods.

We shall pay particular attention to the President's policies to reverse the catastrophic loss of 959 000 jobs in the first 9 months of 2009. We now know that government's commitment to create 500 000 jobs opportunities through the Extended Public Works Programme did not materialise. We expect the President to outline the reasons for this failure and to point a way forward to explain how this will be reversed in the coming period.

While public works jobs make an important contribution to the economy and the wellbeing of workers, our target should be the creation of decent work. We must recognise that our economy was in crises even before the recession hit us and we have a huge decent work deficit.

The President, in recognition of this, must examine what progress has been made towards the plan for a new growth path to transform our economy, so that it can escape from the colonial legacy of over-dependence on the export of raw materials and capital intensive sectors, into one based on labour intensive sectors and one that meets the basic needs of our people.  We hope the President will announce the dates when the growth path will be announced, together with the date for the publication of the industrial policy strategy.

Of particular concern is what the President has to propose to implement the 2009 manifest commitment to "avoid exploitation of workers and ensure decent work for all workers as well as to protect the employment relationship, introduce laws to regulate contract work, subcontracting and out- sourcing, address the problem of labour broking and prohibit certain abusive practices."

We hope that he will share our conviction that labour broking has no role to play in a decent-work economy and will commit to bring in laws to ban it.

COSATU looks forward to seeing the implementation of the promised provisions "to facilitate unionisation of workers and conclusion of sectoral collective agreements to cover vulnerable workers in these different legal relationships and ensure the right to permanent employment for affected workers."

Taking forward this commitment will go a long way to address the continuing brutalisation of farm workers and other vulnerable workers.

b) On education 

The consistent decline in the standards of education is a problem identified by the ANC, and we hope the President will report on steps taken by the Minister of Basic Education and the government to reverse the extremely worrying trends reflected by the falling numbers of students who reach matric level and who pass matric.

We hope the President will give strong backing to the commitment made by the COSATU affiliated SADTU and other unions to campaign to reverse the culture in the education service and to ensure that the commitment already made - that teachers must be at school at all times, teaching, and not abusing the learners, in particular the girl children - is taken forward.

The President in this regard should use the State of the Nation address to inspire both parents and students to come to the party in recognition that education can only work if all the three major role players help change the cultures that do not help our education system.

c) On health care

The federation will also be looking for a reaffirmation of the government's commitment to the absolutely necessary National Health Insurance scheme and urgent measures to tackle the deplorable levels of service throughout our public health service.

d) Rural development, food security and land reform

We want government to account on what practical steps have been taken to take forward the fine words and commitments in the last State of the Nation address on rural development, food security and land reform.

Poverty in the rural areas remains the biggest threat to our long-term stability. We want to see practical steps being taken and progress registered to ensure food security

e) The fight against crime and corruption

Most of all however, COSATU is anxiously awaiting President Zuma's proposals to deal with the curse of corruption.

We congratulate the members of the task team which has been looking into the problem, but want to see firm action to implement the commitment of the ANC's 2004 manifesto to "ensure efficient functioning of all anti-corruption structures and systems including whistle-blowing, blacklisting of corrupt companies, implementation of laws to ensure exposure of, and action against, private sector corruption, and quicker processes to deal with any corrupt civil servants and public officials".

It is time for the government to make it absolutely clear that it is going to put a stop to the use of public office for private enrichment, and pass the necessary legislation. It is not good enough for ministers and public officials to hide behind the argument that they have ‘declared an interest' in the companies they and their family own.

Even if these companies are not benefiting directly from government tenders, as is all too often the case, the fact that they are in business to make money creates an inevitable conflict of interest when they are legislating in parliament, a provincial legislature or municipal council.

All public representatives must be forced to choose whether they are servants of the public or in business to make profits. They cannot be both at the same time. The succession of corruption scandals, and the spread of the capitalist culture of greed and self-enrichment is threatening to unravel the fabric of society and undermine all the great progress we have made since Comrade Madiba walked to freedom 20 years ago.

We would be happy if the President were to announce that his government will do a ‘life-style audit' of all the Cabinet Ministers, Director Generals and Deputy Director Generals. It would be very interesting to establish how some have some afford more than one mansion, holiday homes, expensive holidays, etc.  We call on all Ministers and senior public servants to submit to this audit as part of their commitment to transparency and clean governance.

f) Other issues of priority

The federation will be examining closely government plans for the electricity sector and what alternatives they have to Eskom's disastrous proposal for 35% tariff increases for the next three years. We strongly urge to President to agree that government, and not the consumers, must bear the capital costs of new generating capacity, and order Eskom to charge consumers only for running costs, with increases tied to inflation.

COSATU will also welcome new proposals to tackle the slow pace of service delivery in our poorest communities, which have given rise to so many angry protests. We shall be looking for imaginative ways to use the skills of the unemployed workers, including those many hundreds who have been building our magnificent World Cup stadiums, to build roads, bridges, sewers, schools, clinics, etc in our poor communities.

Statement issued by Patrick Craven, COSATU national spokesperson, February 9 2010

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