[DEBATE] : Re: CWU Open Letter

Wed Feb 1 00:47:56 GMT 2006

I see no reason for CWU's campaign against this radio station except a 
political one, motivated solely by the station's content and the people 
who run it. and yes I read Mfanafuthi. He's scarcely one to complain 
about convoluted arguments after composing that bureaucratic 
balderdash, eh?

Bottom line here Dominic? There's an alternative low power community 
radio project under attack, for no apparent reason, by a union allied 
with the ruling party.  Said union has made false allegations against 
the operators of the union, called for the arrest of he people involved 
(I think that qualifies as 'crushing') and complained, endlessly, about 
it being "illegal"  -- say weren't  black unions illegal not so long 
ago?

Now it JUST SO HAPPENS that the station is associated with a prominent 
critic of the government and the party that runs it, and with an 
organization that government despises.  Run by the very people 
mfanafuthi wants arrested.  their high crime and misdemeanor?  (gasp) 
running a low power community radio station!  How's that for supporting 
community radio -- not to mention free speech, the independent press 
and the peoples' right to nonviolent dissent. Viva CWU! In fact, CWU 
isn't supporting the democratization of the airwaves they're doing the 
oposite -- trying to ensure that the airwaves are firmly under state 
(read ANC) control.  Why?

since nothing else even remotely suggests a motive for CWU's awful 
behavior it is reasonable to assume that CWU is attacking the station 
for political reasons and not for industrial reasons.

And by the way, your earlier suggestion that the ANC doesn't meddle, 
sometimes successfully, in COSATU's affairs is just laughable -- and I 
know that for a fact even from New York.

-----Original Message-----
From: Dominic Tweedie <hypercube at telkomsa.net>
To: debate: SA discussion list  <debate at lists.kabissa.org>
Sent: Tue, 31 Jan 2006 23:09:02 +0200
Subject: [DEBATE] : Re: CWU Open Letter

   I don't know when unions have been known to do the ANC's bidding in a 
matter
of union policy. There is also no reason why the ANC would have to 
persuade
the CWU to support the regulation and democratisation of the airwaves. I
hope you read what Comrade Mfanafuthi wrote in detail, by the way. 
There's
no crushing here.

The CWU gives a damn because this is their industry and they organise 
it,
big and small. They have a view, a policy, which includes radio for the
workers and the poor.

My own view is not very important. I only put up the CWU's message, 
which I
got because I am on a circulation list. I used to love the idea of 
pirate
radio. Radio Luxemburg, Radio Caroline, et cetera. That was then.

But here I was more interested in the idea of NGOs being promoted as in 
the
old regime's "Longreach", by one country into another, and the scope for
spooks that is there.

In Longreach, Russell Crystal (currently Communications Officer of the 
DA,
the white reactionary party in SA) and Craig Williamson (the despicable
monster) set up Jack Abramoff as a "student activist" but actually as a 
spy
and crook, and that's what gave Abramoff his main start.

Patrick Bond was "bummed out" that I would make such a comparison, and 
also
with the British spooks with their rock transmitter in Moscow. But I 
don't
mind that. Because as a rule I prefer democratic unions that support
themselves entirely by their own members' subscriptions. That is the 
main
condition for unions that affiliate to COSATU, by the way.

Affiliation to COSATU is not affiliation to the ANC. There is no block
membership, political levy, or block vote. The SACP is not a member of 
the
ANC, either.

A useful third-party example of some of these complexities is the 
Zimbabwean
one I posted today. Another one to reflect upon is the huge strike that 
is
on at Transnet against privitisation here, supported by four unions 
working
together, only one of which is a COSATU-affiliated union.

If you don't see the permutations, negotiations, and alliances, you are 
not
reading the game at all.

Dominic.

Web site at: http://amadlandawonye.wikispaces.com/
Blog at: http://domza.net/
Subscribe for free e-mail updates at:
http://groups.google.com/group/Communist-University/
Library of documents at: http://cu.domza.net/

-----Original Message-----
From: debate-bounces at lists.kabissa.org
[mailto:debate-bounces at lists.kabissa.org]On Behalf Of mfleshman at aol.com
Sent: 31 January 2006 10:25 PM
To: debate at lists.kabissa.org
Subject: [DEBATE] : Re: CWU Open Letter

If you don't know the answer just say so. Stop being so defensive!! it
wasn't an attack on you or particularly on your precious anc. I'm just
trying to figure out what the fuss is all about. Is everything going so
well in SA telecoms that CWU simply has nothing else to do?

-----Original Message-----
From: Dominic Tweedie <hypercube at telkomsa.net>
To: debate: SA discussion list  <debate at lists.kabissa.org>
Sent: Tue, 31 Jan 2006 21:41:33 +0200
Subject: [DEBATE] : Re: CWU Open Letter

   What are you missing? For a start, the Communication Workers Union is
not
the ANC or the SACP, it is a Union with a policy based on the interests
of
its members, democratically decided. The CWU does not take orders from
the
ANC about its policy.

Why would you not expect a communication workers' union to have such a
position? Even if they were syndicalists (which they aren't) I would
hardly
expect them to have any other position as a union.

Another thing, why is your enquiry addressed to me? The CWU can speak
for
itself. Mfanafuthi Sithebe is an extremely able person and needs no help
from me.

I'd like to ask a question now: Where does the idea that our National
Liberation Movement is monolithic come from?

Seriously.

It can't be based on any empirical gathering of facts. A cursory glance
at
the movement would show that it is a rich variety of non-identical and
self-conscious interests. What else would it be? Do you think we are
Wobblies? Actually, there was a "one big union" thing in South Africa
in the
1920s known as the CWU. In its dying, the alliance was cemented that
survives today. The lesson was learned.

By the way, thanks for the link to Wayne Madsen. The guy's on fire.
Check
the Columbo piece on his site. Talk about LOL.

Dominic.

Web site at: http://amadlandawonye.wikispaces.com/
Blog at: http://domza.net/
Subscribe for free e-mail updates at:
http://groups.google.com/group/Communist-University/
Library of documents at: http://cu.domza.net/

-----Original Message-----
From: debate-bounces at lists.kabissa.org
[mailto:debate-bounces at lists.kabissa.org]On Behalf Of mfleshman at aol.com
Sent: 31 January 2006 09:00 PM
To: debate at lists.kabissa.org
Subject: [DEBATE] : Re: CWU Open Letter

Dominic I don't get it. Isn't RASA FM a little low power local
community radio movement outfit?

They will never hire fulltime staff, couldn't possibly interfere, or
interfere much, with other broadcasters and were apparently informed by
the state their registration would be denied. So whats the big deal?
Why does CWU care?

Isn't this just another case of the ANC squelching dissent?  What am I
missing here?

.

Issued by: Communication Workers Union
Contact person: Mfanafuthi Sithebe
Head of Communications
Tel: +27 11 838 8188
Mobile: +27 83 208 9643
Mail: mfanafuthis at cwu.org.za <mailto:mfanafuthis at cwu.org.za>

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