PRESS RELEASE
To all media houses
For immediate attention
EPWP FORUM WORKERS OCCUPY GAUTENG MEC JACOB MAMABOLO’S OFFICE OVERNIGHT
The security workers have pledged solidarity with the workers and refused to open the gates to the building. But the JMPD and POP, who initially heeded the workers’ appeal, have now been reinforced by more heavily armed police who have forcibly opened the gates.
Dismissed last year before Covid Lockdown, workers have continued the struggle for reinstatement, permanent jobs and R12 500. Mamabolo has repeatedly made promises and agreed to meet but has turned his back on the workers, including absconding from a meeting organised by the Premier’s Office, much to the DG’s who could not locate the hole where he had gone into hiding.
This “communist” has fled like a fugitive from the scene of a crime. He was the MEC in charge when consecutively the workers’ contracts were repeatedly rolled over for seven years. He engaged workers about absorption with detailed written documents dividing workers into categories according to age, experience, qualification etc.
Given how the judges of the Labour Appeal Court blatantly took the side of this capitalist government after it tore up the 2018 public sector wage agreement and refused to pay the 2020 increase, the EPWP workers recognize that they cannot win this battle simply through legal means. Thus, whilst the workers’ legal case for the CCMA hearing this Friday, 9th April, is very strong, this battle is going to be fought and won on the streets.
This is not just a battle of the EPWP workers; we also have about 88 uncontracted Community Healthcare workers (CHWs) in Gauteng. While the ANC government has already declared there will be no increases for public service workers for the next three years. They have taken money from workers and working-class communities, and public service to finance corporate tax reduction ever since they came to power in 1994. This year they reduced corporate tax to 27% from 28%. In 1992 corporate tax was 52%!
This is why the EPWP workers in other provinces, like East London, In the Eastern Cape, Potchefstroom and Bloemhof in the Northwest, Fuleni in the Western Cape and more workers in other provinces have begun to take action. Under Nupsaw and Demawusa, the EPWP united with Community Health Workers, Community Works Programme, Early Childhood Development workers across the country.
This ANC government is for the rich and the corrupt. We must remove it. That is why the Gauteng EPWP Forum has joined the Working Class Summit that will reconvene in May to discuss the implementation of the 2018 WCS resolution to establish a mass workers party on a socialist programme.
For more information:
Executive Mukwevho on scene 067 624 6878 or 081 514 9449