COSATU supports Zille call for army to be deployed
28th November 2012
COSATU supports the call by Premier Zille for the deployment of the army in the Western Cape to protect farm workers, but for very different reasons, given the murder of farm workers by the farmers' security companies who can only be described as private armies or right-wing vigilantes and death squads.
This killing of workers by the security companies and the brutality of farmers against workers can only be described as a low-level civil war. The farmers in a public meeting had called for farmers to arm and protect themselves, and said they would not be caught napping like 2 weeks ago, facts that Zille ignores.
Zille agrees with the civil war characterisation and tries to raise all kinds of issues, which just confirms that her only concern is for the farmers and she has no regard for farm workers and their right to a decent wage or their right to protest.
The Premier has never once joined all the other levels of Government in condemning the low wages and horrendous conditions on farms as exposed by E TV last night. The Premier has not once tried to facilitate or participate in a meeting trying to find a solution. It is a sad indictment of a leader when the only thing she can do is call someone else to come and solve the problem.
The Premier continues to hold a grudge against the workers for chasing her out of De Doorns and hopes the army will come and teach them a lesson. We need leadership in this time of crisis, not vuvuzela politics from the Premier
Statement issued by COSATU Western Cape Provincial Secretary, Tony Ehrenreich, November 28 2012
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