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COSATU?’s response to the Andrew Levy 20th Annual Report
Patrick Craven and Moloto Mothapo COSATU Communications Department - 2002-04-19
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The Congress of South African Trade Unions notes with alarm the grim report from Andrew Levy and Associates, which sums up its message as ?“AIDS up, employment down, strikes up?”.
Andrew Levy?’s figures on AIDS ?– that nearly a quarter of South African are HIV-positive - if accurate, mean we are facing a catastrophe. They confirm that COSATU has been right to identify this epidemic as a national disaster. The Andrew Levy report expects the number of infected people to increase to six million by 2005, while organisations will lose in excess of 4% of their workforces over the next 10 years. The report confirms that the most economically active group (25-49 year-olds) are the hardest hit by AIDS- related deaths.
COSATU would like a more detailed explanation of the basis on which these statistics were calculated. Still, we do not wish to quibble over figures as they do broadly confirm COSATU?’s view that HIV/Aids is a major crisis. The figures will strengthen our resolve to step up the campaign, in alliance with the government, for education, prevention and treatment. Resources must be poured into the campaign proportionate to the gravity of the crisis. Up to now, the amounts being spent fighting the epidemic throughout the developing world, are peanuts in the light of the devastation it is causing. No invading army has ever produced as many dead bodies as the HIV/Aids invasion. Indeed the government must respond with the same vigour as if an alien army was invading the country.
On jobs, although the unemployment figures in the report are lower than those in the latest Statistics South Africa report, they reveal the same trend. They calculate the ?‘official?’ figure, which excludes people not seeking employment, at 26.4% (Stats SA say 29.5%) while the more realistic figure for all the unemployed is given as 37% (Stats SA say 41.5%).
COSATU would like to know why these figures are lower than the government?’s. But they nevertheless confirm that the number of jobs is declining, especially in the public sector. The figures reinforce COSATU?’s call for job creation to be made the top priority in the government?’s economic policy.
The recent Alliance Summit agreed to devise ways in which to accelerate programmes aimed at eradicating poverty, speeding up economic growth and job-creation and introducing equity in all areas of life. COSATU will be arguing for a new economic policy which puts job creation at the top of the agenda. We hope that a national consensus can be reached on measures to stop the job loss bloodbath and restart the economic development and transformation of our society.
On a more positive note the Andrew Levy Report notes that, ?“while real GDP growth has slowed, trade union membership seems fairly stable with a decrease anticipated as the country entrenches itself in the global economy. Membership in 2000 was estimated at about 3.5 million people, according to the department of Labour. Cosatu remains the biggest union with some 1.8 million members.?”
Given the rise in unemployment, it is a great achievement for trade union membership to have remained stable and a tribute to the role which they have played in defending workers from the severe challenges that they face. |
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