By Charlie van Gelderen IN THE DECADES of struggle against apartheid every section of the ANC leadership, South African liberation movement emphasised the "leading role of the working class".
It was the militancy of workers which eventually compelled South African capitalism to change course.
The alliance of powerful ated. black trades unions which emerged in the 1970s with the struggle against apartheid frightened the ruling class. It feared the transformation of the struggle for consent. national liberation into an anti-capitalist struggle.
It was this fear that drove the ruling class to seek an accommodation COSATU bureaucracy with the leadership of the would all honour an imliberation movement, par- plied "social contract" and ticularly with the ANC. keep the workers in order.
The unwritten part of the The ANC led governagreement was that the ment is now delivering as its Com- expected. munist Party allies and the A proposed new labour relations bill will severely restrict the rights of workers - reneging on all the promises made in the freedom charter and in numerous speeches from the leadership.
The bill is scheduled for June.
Several workers' organisations, including the marxist Workers' Organisation for Socialist Action, are leading the fight against the it.