To all women in the struggle

I am a woman. I am love, I am courage, I am wisdom, I am a rock, yes I am a woman. My wealth is not measured by money, but by the many hearts I have touched. Muscularity does not measure my strength, it comes from within, ‘cos I am a woman. Everyday of my life is an achievement, for when I wake up in the morning and say “more baas”, I have achieved. When I put bread on the table at noon , I have achieved.

When I put a smile on my childrens’ faces at night, it is an achievement, for I am a woman!

I am feminine, I’m fragile, I’m a female and I’m fertile. All the great leaders who walk on the soil of this earth are products of my fertility. I have sown into this country. My prayers, my labour, my courage and silent wisdom were all contributions I have made in the struggle of our country. I am a woman and I have every right to enjoy the fruits of my labour.

I’ll be damned if you, father, brother, husband or son take those rights away from me with your insults and abuse.

For I am stronger than you. Don’t think you can silence me. For each time you strike me, each time you rape me, each time you insult me, or intimidate me, you make me even stronger.

For when you beat me, my bones may be shattered but my soul stays solid and when you kill me, my spirit lives on and my light continues to shine through the eyes of my descendants. I don’t expect you to sing praises for I know my worth, I know who I am, what I want and where I’m going and for as long as the God shows favour upon me I shall rise for I am a woman!

Jackie Williams, Swift Heat, Jhb South local——————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————Day to remember

(Love and respect are the most precious gifts of all therefore we express our love for one another in many different ways. We sometimes write a love letter, note of appreciation or a poem. All of these are symbols pointing to the love, respect we have for one another irrespective of a person dead or alive. I take that precious gift today to a friend, comrade, and a brother I love dearly.)

Enough is enough As individuals we differIn our tactics of fightingSome are stick fightersSome are trigger-happySome are knife expertsTime running out for lunaticsHour of judgement has come.
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Enough is enoughKwanele sizw’ esintsunduToday we are assembled hereIn this land we fought.We started experimental theatre.We started fighting every sinceBy preaching the messageIt is said preach less, act more.
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Enough is enoughGreat are the freedom fightersFor heroes and heroines are bornUltimately, freedom is achieved,Nevertheless, every blackman’s goalYes, we have come a long way
Previous expressions, dead, buried.Tired, urging, till voice went silent.
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Enough is enoughSo was our late brotherMthuthu Gladman FundakubiWhom we will always rememberNasiqoki died on a missionA mission to liberate his peopleThrough the wagon of experimental theatreIndeed we liberate through our art.
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Rest in peace MthuthuI won’t let you downI will keep on liberatingUntil the goal has been achieved.Great are you MtikaFor you died a liberatorNo, I will never ever cry,Nor, will ever shed a tearFor that is our tact we artists.
Enough is enoughRediscover yourself henceforthRemember, love most precious giftAn easy answer to patience, toleranceDisfigured by ugly scars of apartheid?Embittered by your colour, unemployment?Slave mentality out of you or else.Your time to answer shall come.
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Enough is enoughMthuthu, your tragic departureHas left in me a wound,A wound that will never heal.Soldiers have treasure in heavenFalling before the victory hour.Over the graves of the fallenShall grow flowers of inspiration.Yours in painVuyisile ka Fundakubi, VWSA

Motor Sector

In Numsa we work very hard to maintain our position in the federation Cosatu. National Congress has passed, back to work for all of us, leadership and staff. Comrade president told all of us to “go back and pick up the wood that we’ve been chopping.”

Comrade readers my concern is about the motor sector. Motor sector is being widely divided by the employers. I think we must look for some shop stewards in order to identify the problem. At least four shop stewards per local to debate about motor issues and report back to the relevant locals rather than calling for a general meting because those meetings are poorly attended.

I call upon shop stewards to begin to be those shop stewards of the olden days, be shop stewards even in our community and help to look at what we as shop stewards can do for our community. We must also be at war against HIV/Aids and help contributions and educate our community about safe sex and treatment, type of food we must eat.

Lastly to encourage the government to give a grant to the unemployed.

Jacob Mthimunye, Jhb central local, local motor chairperson

Winning Letter! When two bulls fight, it is the grass that suffers the most

I am grateful for the fact that we have elected our local, regional and national leadership.

I would like to congratulate our new leaders by telling them that we have trust in them.

They are in those offices because of the will of the workers. They were developed by the workers to be the workers’ servants.

They must serve the workers with the dignity that they deserve. They must not be driven by their self-interests. They must be led by the workers’ interests.

They must work hand in hand, they must not run the union with cliques, conspiracies and corruption. The union offices are not battlefields, but the union offices are there for the leaders to work together levelling the fields for the working class to play together towards socialism.

When two elephant bulls fight, it is the grass that suffers most.

Our working class is not yet Uhuru. The struggle continues. Forward with socialism.Luyanda Xbe Shop steward Dimbaza Foundries, King Williamstown

I am a revolutionary, a socialist

I am a revolutionary, a socialist, an activist, a shop steward in good standing and I am a committed shop steward of Numsa.

I am concerned about how constitutional positions are elected in various regions. I am also looking at the forthcoming National Congress that everything else is done now is in preparation for the next national elections.

Worker control is out of the question now. Organisers of Numsa are in a position of reaching their target for 2008 and they are putting shop stewards as their tools for that matter. It’s time that workers wake up and look at your organisation as you are paying 1% towards your subscriptions. Even those organisers who are instituting you to push their hidden agendas are paid by you and your respective constituencies (workers).

During the day you will call Numsa local offices or visit. You will find the organiser is not in the office and he has never pitched since the morning but come knock-off time where shop stewards, sub-structures and members are coming from work, he is there just to cause confusion amongst the workers especially when there are elections. National, regional and local elections – elections are run before real elections take place, it is no longer workers who decide hence I have already said worker control is out of the question right now!

To all shop stewards out there who are active members of unions – you are the eyes, ears and workers have got their faith and trust in you. The union means unity of workers but you can not unite while on the other hand you are not accurately serviced. Only those who agree to push personal agendas will be serviced and checked timeously whether they do have problems in their companies.

I am a woman, an activist, a shop steward and a member in good standing.

Comrades this is a wake up call – do what it takes to put stability in regions. The 4-year plan must begin working, deployments to regions and know all the happenings.

Otherwise you will regret because this is really what’s coming to you.

E D Lebakeng, Wits Central West region

I am one of X-Strata’s employeesLive by beggin, working for ‘pap en vleis’, paid peanuts, poor for the rest of our lives in the name of capitalists.

Oh Lord, God of Jacob, Isack and Abraham, please let not our beloved planet be driven away to hell of hells by mental syndicators.

We are always talking about reality love, which kind of love does X-Strata management have? If ever they are still playing a ‘merry-go-round’ game and applying behaviour for Satanism to their employees. (Corinthians 13 Verse 1 up to 6)

What went wrong my Lord with blacks? Is the question of black ownership of this land long long time ago? Because today the tadpolies are the tycoons of t his place and the children of this land are left behind and forgotten God of Israel. Nothing to you is impossible, change the minds and hearts of X-Strata management of Wonderkop even those who employ our sisters throughout sexuality.

Our grand-grandfathers were robbed and deprived of their ownership and wealth, today their children are still victims of hollow circumstances. Is it only blacks who deserve to suffer my Lord? God of Shadrack, Mishack and Abednico, I put my special prayer to our management not to be tantamount to the land of Gomorrah and Sodom .

Change the minds and the hearts of X-Strata’s management forever and ever in the name of Jesus. Amen

Anonymous

Nelson Mandela.

Aubrey ka Saki Blessed a soul His habitat, Qunu soil,Birth place ofAn African icon,Baba Madiba.

From nature,Servant of the needy,Black or white.His aim for life, Peace to mankind.

A voice of hope, For generations all,Him to thriveFor a just society.Freedom of the peopleOf earthly names and sounds,Him shoulder above and beyond.Of natural instinct and instance,Quite a people’s choice,A rare soldier of the defenceless. An elephant that never forgets, Yet humble forgives, A creator of a rainbow nation.

Strong blood of a Xhosa Man,By God’s Acre, Rolihlahla! Father of African Nationalism,With a stern voice,Created for justice unto each soul.Alone a legendary human hunk.Madiba Madiba!

Him a sufferer of manyA million cries and woes.A beacon of godly simmerings,Nature’s onesome gift,Nelson Mandela.