A very sharp response from SADTU Limpopo. Unfortuantely one has not seen the remarks attributed to the GS of COSATU - but in the response SADTU fails to follow the same organisational channels it is accusing Vavi of not following. I think the remarks attributed to Vavi are unfortunate but the response is even more unfortunate as it may give an impression of a Federation at war with itself.
Comradely Regards, Thembela. On 7/24/12, VC <[email protected]> wrote: > > SADTU > > *SADTU Limpopo Media Statement, 24 July 2012* > > > /SADTU Limpopo response to criticism by COSATU General Secretary / > > > *Unfair public attack on SADTU about the Limpopo textbook saga by COSATU > General Secretary Zwelinzima Vavi * > > > The COSATU General Secretary has, on the public platform, asked > controversial questions about the availability of SADTU in the Limpopo > textbook saga and accused the Union of having slept over the revolution > on the issue of textbooks. > > He asked: "Where SADTU was when textbooks were not delivered in schools > until June?" > > Our response: "SADTU was in class teaching when textbooks were not > delivered in schools." > > It is our conviction that the General Secretary of COSATU has now > declared himself the "Master of own goals." > > Against any popular view driven by the excitement of media populists, we > want to put the following on record for the attention of General > Secretary Vavi: > > 1. The General Secretary never took any effort to enquire either from > the national office of SADTU as a matter of protocol or Provincial > Secretary of COSATU about the role of the Union on the matter and > instead he found it exciting to jump and raise the matter on the > public domain vilifying all progressive structures for, according to > his opinion, having done nothing. > > > 2. It should be on record that SADTU was the first to raise the issue > of textbooks with the Department of Education in December 2011. This > is evident in a memorandum submitted to the Department on 12 January > 2012. Section 27 picked up the issue from SADTU and others during a > meeting held with the publishers after 15 February 2012. Like any > other right-wing force, they ran to the Court of Law. > > > 3. We are convinced that SADTU took the correct decision that in view > of the failure of the Department of Education to deliver textbooks > to schools, SADTU would continue to teach our learners and children > of the working class against an irrational and populist stance of > collapsing the system by going on a strike. We resolved to engage > the Department of Education to ensure that the textbooks are > delivered whilst our children continue to learn. We are happy that > teachers remain committed to their resolve of teaching our learners > despite painful, unfair and mischievous utterances by Vavi. > > > 4. Vavi's utterances are a clear own goal which demonstrates his > arrogance. He has grown bigger than his boots and developed a > dangerous personality-cult. The decency of following procedure no > longer exists in him. The honourable and decent thing would have > been to find information or asked his questions to SADTU and > Provincial COSATU in order to articulate an informed position that > represents the workers and not his unfortunate personal convictions. > > > 5. The very same question he raised can be put to him: "What did COSATU > do when textbooks were not delivered to school until June?" > > > 6. The approach of SADTU on the matter is that finger-pointing, cheap > political point scoring, public spats and populist stances will not > deliver textbooks to schools. We cannot compromise teaching of our > learners over this matter which we believe can be resolved by > different methods short of abandoning our classes. Teachers will > continue to soldier on despite these difficult conditions and > discouraging messages from some of the people reported to represent > our aspirations and from which we pin our hopes that they will > better understand our situation. > > > 7. We continue to regard the General Secretary's statement as > unfortunate. It does not bring hope and courage to members of SADTU > who work hard for integrity and cohesion of the Union and the > Federation. > > > Further, we hope that this information will assist him to stop > scoring own goals and use internal channels to enable him to present > informed positions on the public domain on behalf of workers and not > find a space to run parallel with rightwing-associated organizations. > > > 8. The COSATU General Secretary should know that we score against our > class-contenders (enemy) not against our own structures. > > > > *Issued by SADTU Limpopo Province Secretariat* > ** > *_Contact_: * > *Secretary, Jacob Matome Raphasha, 082 804 0800* > *Deputy Secretary, Sowell Tjebane, 082 808 3161* > > > > > -- > You are subscribed. 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