ACTSA; Beshlie goes to Africa.: 11 Sept 2010

So what's it all about then?

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Well hello there. My name is Beshlie and I work for the Marine Management Organisation as a Marine Officer. I joined Prospect, the recognised trade union for marine officers, and soon became involved in union matters, including the young professionals network. I took on the role of environment rep and international development advocate because it is a subject I feel strongly about and thought it would be an opportunity to influence decisions affecting all MMO staff and have a positive influence outside the organisation. I have been working with management, fellow reps and Prospect officers on creating MMO’s sustainable development action plan, which ties in with the bargaining for international development project; the environment and people are very much linked in my mind. As a consequence, I applied for a two week trip to South Africa with ACTSA, an organisation described as the successor to the anti-apartheid organisation. Guess what.... I'm going and this blog will tell you about it. Eventually!

Saturday, 11 September 2010

15: Constitution Hill and COSATU

Visiting the national heritage site of Constitution Hill, it becomes plain to see how South Africans' have transformed a brutal history into a beacon of hope for a the nation’s future. Our first stop was to visit the site of the old prison, Number Four, where great legends such as Mandela and Ghandi were imprisoned. Despite the relative dilapidation, to witness such conditions could not fail to mark one's soul. The remnants of the prison, particularly the cell with bars (where difficult prisoners were hosed with water and left, rain or shine, summer or winter) and the lashing chair (last used in 1983) illustrate levels of institutionalised cruelty that belong firmly in the past. White and black and coloured prisoners were kept separate and again, as at Robben Island, had differing conditions in which they existed. Even the workers in the prison experienced different conditions; black workers remember feeling more like prisoners than free men.

The Constitutional Court, established in 1994, provides great contrast to the prison, it stands out as a place of beauty, peace and justice. The door to the court is carved with the 27 constitutional rights of the New South Africa, in each of the 11 national languages and even in sign language. These rights can be found here.

It starts like this:

We, the people of South Africa, recognise the injustices of our past; honour those who suffered for justice and freedom in our land; respect those who have worked to build and develop our country; and believe that South Africa belongs to all who live in it, united in our diversity. We therefore, through our freely elected representatives, adopt this Constitution as the supreme law of the Republic so as to-Heal the divisions of the past and establish a society based on democratic values, social justice and fundamental human rights; Lay the foundations for a democratic and open society in which government is based on the will of the people and every citizen is equally protected by law; Improve the quality of life of all citizens and free the potential of each person; and Build a united and democratic South Africa able to take its rightful place as a sovereign state in the family of nations. May God protect our people. Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika. Morena boloka setjhaba sa heso.God seën Suid-Afrika. God bless South Africa.Mudzimu fhatutshedza Afurika. Hosi katekisa Afrika.

Pretty amazing stuff!

On entry to the court, the eyes are met with a riot of colour, art is unashamedly everywhere, in the form of sculpture, mosaic and beading. South Africa and its constitution are celebrated in the fabric of the building; blending the old ways and the new ways, never forgetting, but moving forward. An awe inspiring sight.

We also visited the women’s prison, where conditions were a little, but not much better than in number four. The displays were informative, with exhibits such as the clothes they were arrested in. One thing that stuck with me from the women’s prison was the indignity they were subjected to, such as the lack of provision for adequate sanitary protection and even underwear.

COSATU

The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) was launched in December 1985 after four years of unity talks between unions opposed to apartheid and committed to a non-racial, non-sexist and democratic South Africa. At our launch we represented less than half a million workers organised in 33 unions. We currently have more than two million workers, of whom at least 1.8 million are paid up.

One of the things they work towards is:

International worker solidarity - International solidarity is the lifeblood of trade unionism - particularly in the era of multinational companies. COSATU maintains links with a range of national and international centres. We are committed to building link s with unions in the newly industrialised countries. New international conditions open possibilities for a unified union movement.

As a member of Prospect trade union, I appreciate fully the need for solidarity in numbers. At present, COSATU are working towards progressive policy in Swaziland. Our meeting focussed on the needs of the Swazi people and what we at home can do to help. They would like us to encourage national and international discussions on Swaziland, so that tourists to the country can see with open eyes the paradise and the hell. They are also short of resources; so anything we can do to help will be appreciated, not only donating money, but offering our resources; be that t'shirt printing or just a letter of solidarity. I hope that by working with ACTSA, we can find a way to support the amazing work these people do. It is not an easy ride; in recent days many activists have been arrested and forcibly removed from Swaziland; deported under invasion laws.

The meeting with COSATU was cut short, as we had to get to the airport in order to get back to Blighty. My head is swimming from the sheer amount of information I have taken in. I fear that life will never be the same again.

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Secondary Links

The Nomntu Project

The Nomutu project is run by a friend of mine's family. It provides educational, social and practical support to those suffering from poverty, abuse, HIV/AIDS in small communities in the Eastern Cape. They do good work. Support them if you can!

Artists For a New South Africa

Artists for a New South Africa (ANSA) is a nonprofit organisation working in the U.S. and South Africa to combat HIV/AIDS, assist children orphaned by the disease, advance human and civil rights, educate and empower youth, and build bonds between our nations through arts, culture, and our shared pursuit of social justice.

Music you might like

Johnny Clegg: Johnny Clegg is one of South Africa’s most celebrated sons. He is a singer, a songwriter, a dancer, anthropologist and a musical activist whose infectious crossover music, a vibrant blend of Western pop and African Zulu rhythms, has exploded onto the international scene and broken through all the barriers in his own country.

Listen on Myspace here.

Ladysmith Black Mambazo: So good were they that after a time they were forbidden to enter the competitions but welcomed, of course, to entertain at them.

Listen on Myspace here. (Yes, they are the ones from Paul simon's Graceland album).

Putumayo world Music - South Africa. Listen to previews through Real/Media Player. These guys are great, as they support NGO's and non profit organisations. For info click here.

Soul Brothers; Initially formed in KwaZulu Natal, the group have remained the slickest and most successful proponents of the mbaqanga sound which dominated South African urban music for over three decades.

Listen on We7 here.

Xavier Rudd and Izintaba: Album Koonyun Sun. Xavier is from australia, Izintaba from South Africa. I won't give you a review, just get it. It's ace. Particularly track 4.

Listen on Myspace here.

South Africa Fact File

For more information click here.

South Africa, officially called the Republic of South Africa, is the southernmost country of continental Africa, bordered in the north-west by Namibia; in the north by Botswana and Zimbabwe; in the north-east by Mozambique and Swaziland; in the east and south by the Indian Ocean; and in the west by the Atlantic Ocean. The independent country of Lesotho forms an enclave in the eastern part of the country. South Africa has an area of 1,219,090 sq km (470,693 sq mi). The administrative capital of South Africa is Pretoria, the legislative capital is Cape Town, and the judicial capital is Bloemfontein.

Government

In February 1990 South Africa’s white minority government lifted the ban on anti-apartheid political organizations and freed African National Congress (ANC) leader Nelson Mandela and other political prisoners. The government and the black liberation movement, led primarily by the ANC, then entered into negotiations to dismantle apartheid and open the way to political democracy in South Africa.

Religion, Language and Culture

Religion

About 68 per cent of the people of South Africa are Christians, mainly Protestant. Most Afrikaners belong to the Dutch Reformed Church, and most South African whites who speak English as their first language belong to the Anglican, Congregational, Methodist, or Roman Catholic Churches. Blacks are also members of these denominations; in addition, many of them adhere to so-called independent Churches, which combine elements of Christianity and traditional African religions. A significant minority of blacks also follow traditional beliefs. Of the non-Christian religions in South Africa Hindus comprise 1.3 per cent and Muslims 1.1 per cent. South Africa also has a Jewish community of some 67,600 people, although a number of Jews have emigrated to Israel in the past 25 years.

Language

There are 11 official languages in South Africa: Afrikaans (6.2 million), English (3.5 million), Ndebele (588,000), Northern Sotho (3,840,000), Southern Sotho (2,704,000), Swati (1,019,000), Tsonga (1,646,000), Tswana (2,822,000), Venda (666,000), Xhosa (6,858,000), and Zulu (10,700,000). Afrikaans and English are the languages of record. The former, a variant of the Dutch language, is the first language of almost all Afrikaners and many Coloured people. English is used as the primary language by many whites and is also spoken by many Asians and blacks. To most blacks, however, a Bantu language (see Niger-Congo Languages) or Khoisan (Click) language is their first language. In addition to English, many Asians also speak a language of India. Fanagolo, a Zulu-based pidgin, is spoken by several thousand mainly as a lingua franca among mining communities. A group of Afrikaner intellectuals, concerned that Afrikaans is being marginalized in South Africa, met at Hammanskraal in May 2000, to launch the Group of 63, which seeks special constitutional protection for Afrikaans and other minority languages. Members include the South African writer Breyten Breytenbach. It is the first time since early last century that Afrikaners from such a diverse political spectrum have united on a cultural project.

Culture

The historical segregation of racial and ethnic groups in South Africa has resulted in distinct cultural developments. Within the white population English and European cultures have re-emerged as dominant influences, especially with the erosion of the Afrikaner-created apartheid system, and the end of the international isolation it caused. The historical distinction between the more religious and nationalistic Afrikaners and the more cosmopolitan English speakers is diminishing, especially among young people.

Among blacks, urban and rural cultures continue to differ. Urban black culture is multi-ethnic and increasingly draws on international influences, such as those of African-Americans. These influences have increased since the end of international sanctions against South Africa, which restricted artists from other countries from performing in South Africa. In the major urban areas the end of apartheid has brought about more interracial cultural activities. Generational differences within both the white and black populations also play a role in cultural expressions. In rural areas black cultural activities tend to emphasize the traditions of particular ethnic groups. Traditional Afrikaner culture is also strongest in rural areas. In recent years a new sense of self-pride has developed in the Coloured community and has found expression in writing, theatre, and music.

In 1993 the two sides agreed to hold the first multiracial elections in South Africa’s history in April 1994. A Transitional Executive Council was formed to supervise the elections, which would put in place new national and provincial governments. After difficult negotiations amid rising violence, much of it politically linked, an interim constitution was approved to serve as the country’s law until a permanent one could be written and adopted by the new parliament. The negotiators agreed that the new government would be one of “national unity”, in which minority parties with at least 5 per cent of the vote would be represented. However, the minority parties would not be able to exercise veto power over the decisions of the majority governing party.

ACTSA; Beshlie goes to Africa.

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So what's it all about then?

Saturday, 11 September 2010

15: Constitution Hill and COSATU

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