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News & Views by Terry Bell
Browsing All Posts published on »April, 2018«
The democratic centralist curse
Democratic centralism is one of the most abused concepts within the South African political and labour arena. It has come to the fore again in debates around the strike protesting a proposed minimum wage and amendments to the labour laws. Hopefully, such debate will lead to the democratic reforms needed in much of the labour movement.
SA labour: tension, turmoil — and some hope
April 28, 2018
The mass turnouts on the protest strike called by Saftu on Wednesday in major centres around the country revealed that the newest federation is probably here to stay. And the sniping from the sidelines by Cosatu and Fedusa did nothing to boost their fortunes. However, amid the tension and turmoil there was some hope.
Sagarmatha & Survé: yet more questions
April 20, 2018
Controversial media tycoon Iqbal Survé's investment management company, 3 Laws Capital, stood to gain more than R50 million had the now postponed Sagarmatha Technologies listing — in which he is the major player — gone ahead. While there are questions about the listing, more questions have been raised about Survé. His profile on the 3 Laws website makes claims about Independent News Media head that, like several other claims in the recent past, are unsubstantiated.
SA govt’s public sector pay gamble
April 16, 2018
The SA government — the biggest employer in the land — has effectively reneged on its own proposals for a settlement with more than 1 million of its employees, gambling that ANC aligned unions will accept the new, austerity measures. This has caused growing anger at rank and file level and may mean the government has overplayed its hand.
A digital wake-up call for labour
April 14, 2018
Debates surrounding the delayed and now postponed private placing on the Johannesburg Securities Exchange of Sagarmatha Technologies, featuring the controversial Dr Iqbal Survé, have at least provided a information about the 4th industrial revolution that should be a wake-up call for labour. They ignore this at their peril.
A glance at SA labour’s state of flux
April 8, 2018
(Inside Labour – first published in City Press 04.04.2018) South Africa’s trade union movement is in a state of flux. But, largely at a bureaucratic level at this stage, a battle is raging, between the various federations competing for both affiiiates and wider support. Focus over the past week has been on the tripartite National […]
A glance at SA labour’s state of flux
April 8, 2018
The South African labour movement is in a state of flux, with a largely unnoticed internecine war for members and influence going on. Three of the competing federations are on the back foot over minimum wage proposals, but there may be hope of some union unity over controversial labour law amendments that seem to entrench a system of growing inequality.
A citizens’ coalition road to real democracy
April 2, 2018
Modern communications technology allows us all to be in almost instant communication with one another. Why then should we not use such technology to organise a coalition of citizens on the basis of a democratic programme that would remove the system of elites that now operates and that is inherently open to corruption? It is possible and is certainly worth discussing seriously.
Terry Bell Writes 
April 30, 2018
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