GEOFF REVELL, NUR union - SARHWU, workers we were also of course raising their state of emergeney was derlared and before last May. SARHWU gave us a small project project and gu straight into tundraising for decided to invite some of their leaders over the strike but we were told by SARHWU 10 nrganiser in South Africa — abour £2,000 compiere the projeer. So we did, and then here to mark that and begin support for meet the national organiser of SARHWU which was to pay the wages of a district But, of course, this was all before the started, in fact, we wanned to drop that a year. In debating that among railway the railway strike. When the rail strike consciousness about South Africa. the strike.
workers in the compound and an dawn boy SARTIWE and joaned in the strike! And that were. and was told that they were then to memhers of the stall association — so they COSATU House, asked what was güing on. the white boss and asked who these people weir not members of SARIWU, they wer SARHWE sinkc When they finished work that day they went back to the compound stop you going on scrike". These workers is how that struggle has added more and asked what strike? They were told the und called a meeting of all thie railway slipped down to the railway station. They were rold, and they all joined boarded trains to Jo burg, went to more members to SARHWE very small sum of money about E12 — that be was suppoesd to pay in late one evening trip and what he learnt from it. strike was the disciplining of a worker who Wial seas wist expenence then you wer organise the strike that at a certain time. And he didn't — he got was involved with a freight terminal and when he came back he was told that he The incident that sparked off the back late so he took this E12 home and chairperson of RAA about the whw had brought somr money back they were insoled in at the time? executive member and there. Hoe did SARHWI BH: masked man into the room and said fIt this him. There is no evidence. They hmught a Well when these people tried to leave He is in John Vorster Square prison where gone intu John Vorster Square prison have they were arrested. Mike Roussos was one: BH: So what happened? How did you end up: he was stripped naked and abused during Conditions there are appalling. Since the kind of situation that he laces. And they state of emergency 65 of those who have him? The masked man said "yes', then come out in coffins. Su you can see the have rigged up murder charges againsr they told him it was for two supposed murders that had happened nurside interrogation, and he is still there. going out there? GR
There was Jons of support from the black SOCIALIST OUTLOOK no 2 July/August 1987 people who were sacked made any attempt to gu back to work. In fact, their dismissal community and different organisations but drawing sume lessons from this country, I the compounds and hosteis and what they other examples and how did the unine deat meath the employers control the food supply for employer was that there would then be a BH: You're already mentornd some specifir cramples ofattacts on the union, are there any don't know — hur none nf those 19,000 drif back to work — maybe they were did was to cut olf the food, They had made them cve more determined dismissed the obvious tactic of the When 19,000 workers wen GR: them? Since the state of emergency was declared, Incident, it is said, that brought about this: piegonating for superior maize to make the You can separate the response of those cason. In February the general secretary. massive struggle. This is whar the papers SARITWU member, Six months after that worker. That was a spark that set off the mealy in the compound. It's ahsurd. Of offence he was dismissed and it was that course, it was not just about the sacked happening in Sooth Africa. There have say over here but this was not the real workers from the general unrest that's been all the activsnes m the townships: Umtai Zello, had been arrested while had committed an offence. He was a tinderbox. executive committee of KAA, We decided to importance the state atcached to those links importance that SARHWU attached to these had committed those murders had done it COSALU House, and that the people who was patently absurd. That gave us great on instructions from Mike Roussos For send representarives of the union out to South Africa instead: So myself and the anyone who has met Mike Roussos this concern. Tbe arrests suggested that the when you've had personal contact with and they wanted to smash them. Also, peuple out there it gives you an added international links is matched by the So as individual members of the secretary, Dodie Weppler went. measure of concer 12
in the trade union context, they cannot be subsequently refused to allow it. The must settlement to this dispute as a trade union with that kind of situation in the common important indication of why the strike was with the government and they said to the trade union way. So they wanted them to understand that there was going to be big starving them, they cannot expect to deal settled, however, lies in the fact that they It was the monitoring of the meetings held responsible for what would happen One of these bishops had direct links next. When people have got no incorne coming in, when the state sets about They actually government that if there wasn't a that SATS didn't like. SOUTH AFRICA squares and bring in the next section of the black-only squares and lay down and sleep mass meeting They were singing all chese cariour questions? And are these ontes binding? send somebody to Britain, The settlement until this section of the mass meeting has ended. Then the stewards go out to the significant things like whether or not to Do these mass meetings sake votes on GR: Yes, all the mass meetings have COSATU house. Bur in answer to your question, that is how they make their been rolling like that since they lost decisions — right down to not very nf the strike was decided at a mass songs of defiance and freedom. cut off the food supply instead. So all these You had support groups for the families of organisations supported them materially as union so what resources they did have had battle gave them no right to evict, so they the detainees set up, and various religious course, the subs weren't coming in to the them. Everything that they had patiently arrests going on all the time among the I think there is something which it is important that workers here understand wanted to evict the strikers but a court relief organisations began to spring up. best they could during the dispute. Of the bombing of COSATU House by the security force was an enormous loss to to be used for legal fees — there were members — and providing lood.
temporary. SARHWU is only cine affiliate of - the day before the eleventh anniversary cverything, including releasing the gencral secretary, Umtai Zello, and the rest of the They've given chern their bonus for all the workers in the railway industry combined recognise SARHWU, they are willing to sit detainers who are not on murder charges. security forces are stretched, they want to went back to normal working on June 15 time that they have been on strike. They down and negotiate with them. And they with events on June 16 would have been unacceptable. So the employers granted COSTU, and I believe that because the of Soweto. A growing strike by black But the workers' victory is only gave them reinstatement. to go belore that meeting and they act with do anything wirhout them. Everyling has The relationship between the leadership: and the membeeship is that they wouldn't SARHWU underground, and still had to build up and was lost SARHWU would be crushed for the ashed by üsing exactly the same methinds them more confidence. When their leaders was involved in a massive struggle, forced Muny people care to sec that if this strike community. By the end of April the strike there - down to the last pen. SARWHU was the focal point for all people involved administration and so on - but they did ir. And they did it because the strike was in struggle in South Africa to help them. as beforc: imprisonment, murder and so were jailed, new leaders emerged and it built up over a number of years was in became the business of the whole black growing and as it was growing it gave Third time in its history. It would be run a union with all that entails,
their mergies any more to dealing with one SAKHWU. They believe thar in is important federation, because COSATU is growing ax. have no illusions at all that the settlement ure going to need all their resources to do affihate when you can cut the bead otf. concentrate on attacking COSATU as the Icadership since that settlement and they for the sate to smash COSATU and they liberation struggle in general, in the tennips well. I don't think they want to give all and so on. You have mentioned June 16, the SARHWE, other COSATE affiliates, and the that. I think thar's why they settled. Could yow say something about the heralds new levels of oppression tor political relationship heteen tenions like I have spoken to people on the they neverthelers am on incredible rector, Would authority to settle on different morms to that again the cütore for the right in the cubates only BH: Agame the dockground of repression and election and the resonal of the thate of mergency. bur I don't think that carried great weight the full authority at all times. They never he accountable to that mass mecting. The African Transport Services (SATS) mency deviate frum that. Of course, they would Icadership don't seem to me to have the GR: Well the strike did cost the South thought they'd got the best deal going. srated by the mass mecting even if rhe because the government would have us core to sex something about how that Icadersbip, the top Jeadership, who were on and specific problems which have ariven in we're talking about people nor just in lear They bring themselves up to date with the GR: I think it can be best explained I l of detention bur in fear of their lives. But: decled? Hote toas information communicated to All the stewards meet with the leadership. decisions on how tu deal with particular they come in to the meetings every day. What about the atricture of the union the midering How was the strike run? Home are decions made? Flow are leaders situation, they deal with and come to roll you whar we actually saw The the run, would come in to jo burg
by joining SARHWU you are in fact joining confrontation with apartheid. And clearly, going to be attracted to joining that union existence, perceive the union as not just a union that is going to improve wages and anzonr in the townships and the other liberation Now because of that, the people who are conditions, but as an organisation that is general supportive attitude between any part of the constitution of the SARHWU. the liberation struggle. That is there as anniersary of Soweto — what tould be the as a way out of an absolutely wretched connection there betaseen actions faken by the Well, I think there is anyway a going to improve their way of life. group which is suffering from a I went with them to a meering with cight observers. And they made the demand that demands being made in Cape Town, East bishops — I've never miet even one before threarening to join the dispure. You have because if rhey are going to be called liars the members of SARHWU by putting out the bishops must monitor these meetings gaining members. They rried to confuse written such losses off. The point is the to remember as well thar SARTWU was statements about what the leadership's - from all the churches in Jo burg as strike was growing. There were great as a leadership so are the bishops of London, Durban - they were all accommodate everybody, they packed in as know abour? or is there anything that we need authority on before we make the mexr they have mass mccrings — at pne o'clock - these meetings are something to behold. move?" When they sort our what they are With COSATU House gone they have had hundreds and hundreds of voices singing, supermarket. When I was there I heand to improvise. They were using this hall over what looked to me to be a disused down to the beginning Of the first mass many as possible and the rear go to the anything now that the members don't people marching from Jo burg station the dispute. Then they say Is there SOCIALIST OUTLOOK no 2 July/Augus: 1987 shop - abour the size of a small meeting. Because the hall can't
foreign nunister Ahmed Al Sabah offered to Arabia in the Gulf cooperation council. - # the region. — Kuwait found itself sucked into tise conflict between Iran and Tran But rather than beg the Ds for help, as well- and allies do on such occasions, Kuwait's rulers sct out to involve House into a quandry. As soon as Kuwaiti freedom of manoruvre which allowed Iran to embarrass While Sadam Hussein's machiavellian Kuwair's actions have directly and clearly contribured to the erratic course of U5 Gult policies: While formally a natural ally of Saudi proxy tool used by US strategists to regulate with impurity the Us administration both superpowers, throwing: the convincing. It is this relative needs some While Sadam behaved clients regIon. Fuse