Three Weeks On.

And so the strike by the public sectors continues...

As I have said before I am all for the proper remuneration for the vital services rendered by public servants, especially when our Ministers do not feel the repercussions of an economic downturn or the need to be frugal.

So one has to consider the President of Cosatu Zwlinzima Vavi's opinion of the ruling party when he describes them as a "predatory society." COSATU is part of an alliance with the ANC and the South African Communist Party, called the Tripartite Alliance. Although COSATU’s role in the alliance has been the subject of debate, since and because the organisation has been critical of some of the ANC government's policies. There are some affiliates who have argued for greater independence from the ruling political party, others have argued that the arrangement gives COSATU a political influence beneficial to its members. Three weeks on and the power struggle has become more than evident.

In this period Vavi has come close to being compared to Poland's Nobel Peace Prize Winner Lech Wałęsa. A man who went from leader of the Solidarity Trade Union to President of Poland. Lech Wałęsa organised a mass action of over 12 million workers, not all of whom were members of the union, to down tools against the Communist Government's use of violence against workers.

Are these the intentions of Mr Vavi? To gain leadership?
Is the S.A government guilty of violence against bottom of the food chain, public sector, by not meeting their demands of a 8.6% increase and a R1000 housing subsidy?
Are the workers demands unrealistic?
How beneficial is the alliance with government now?
How long can this go on?