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News & Views by Terry Bell
Browsing All Posts published in »2019«
Evasion & the potential of taxes
We live with endemic corruption, along with to obscene wealth on one hand and equally obscene poverty on the other. Much of this is the result of capital flows into private pockets — theft through tax evasion — by rich individuals and corporates around the world. Church-based tax justice groups are now trying to end this practice.
Democracy & ‘Father Christmas socialism’
March 22, 2019
It t is time to take stock of where we are and where we, in nation states everywhere, may be going. This should apply in particular to trade unions and various political groups outside of Brazil and Venezuela, that have, in recent years, touted those countries, under Chavez and Lula, as models of “socialist alternatives”.
A union investment dream revisited
March 10, 2019
In South Africa, an innovative investment scheme rejected by Cosatu 27 years ago as “too capitalistic” is again being discussed as austerity bites still harder. It involved settling up a co-operative bank using union pension and provident funds to be invested in residential property, so providing decent homes for workers and breaking down residential apartheid while providing a non-exploitative return on capital.
Election 2019 & back to basics
March 10, 2019
Increasingly, it seems, South Africa's proclaimed democracy is being seen domestically as a sham, with current political parties regarded as mere vehicles for self enrichment. But getting back to basics — a slogan initially adopted by Cosatu — is very much on union minds as austerity threatens to bite still harder. These “basics” also extend well beyond the “nine wasted [Zuma] years” mentioned by President Cyril Ramaphosa, back, in fact.to 1991.
Unions.bureaucrats & investment companies
February 24, 2019
via Unions.bureaucrats & investment companies
Unions.bureaucrats & investment companies
February 24, 2019
Was a cut-price share deal in a controversial company that was given to the general secretary of South Afica's Federation of Unions (Fedusa) a potential bribe or a welcome contribution to another — and still-to-be-established — trade union investment company? And was it in order for Fedusa general secretary Dennis George to become a dirctor of the same company? TAnswers to these questions should be available on Tuesday.
The union that asked billion Rand questions
February 22, 2019
Although unmentioned, considerable credit for the fact that there is a commission of inquiry into the scandal ridden Public Investment Corporation (PIC) should go the PSA (Public Servants’ Association). Probably the largest public sector union in the country, it was the first to raise serious questions about the way the PIC was administered.
Terry Bell Writes 
March 27, 2019
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