Browsing All Posts published on »February, 2012«

A failure to understand the importance of food prices

February 24, 2012

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A recent report linking food price rises to social unrest underlines the validity of the comment that the world is only three square meals away from revolution or anarchy. The latest South African Budget takes no cognisance of this fact.

Confusing roots of the upheaval at Implats

February 19, 2012

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It was money, historic distrust, poor communication by and between different parties and the intervention of a small criminal element that provided the volatile mix that exploded into violence at the Impala Platinum (Implats) Rustenberg operations in South Africa,leaving one miner dead and more than ten injured.

Historical gallop reflected through a distorted prism

February 10, 2012

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An archived and critical book review from 2004 dealing with RW Johnson's controversial South Africa: the first man, the last nation

Jobs front cynicism as the debates continue

February 10, 2012

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The South African government is optimistically punting figures from the latest Labour Force Survey. The unions take a more cautious view and a closer look at the statistics reveals a still strongly "ticking time bomb" of mass unemployment.

A chance to argue for real union principles

February 3, 2012

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The state sponsored Chinese and North Korean unions will be part of the WFTU gathering in Johannesburg, hosted by four Cosatu-affiliated unions. Will this be a move to Soviet-style "conveyor belt unionism" or an opportunity to promote change and real labour principles?