South Africa: Cosatu protests against sedition charges for protestors
"The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) is disturbed by the government's over-reaction to protest actions by members of some of our poorest communities over the past three weeks. Instead of listening and talking to the people, who are demanding basic services and legitimate rights, and addressing their concerns, the government seems to want to criminalise them. In one case, in Harrismith, it has even brought wild charges of sedition against protesters. It has also involved the National Intelligence Agency (NIA). This demonstrates a degree of paranoia among sections of the government."
COSATU Press Statement of Sedition Charges
The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) is disturbed by the
government’s over-reaction to protest actions by members of some of our
poorest communities over the past three weeks.
Instead of listening and talking to the people, who are demanding basic
services and legitimate rights, and addressing their concerns, the
government seems to want to criminalise them. In one case, in Harrismith, it
has even brought wild charges of sedition against protesters. It has also
involved the National Intelligence Agency (NIA). This demonstrates a degree
of paranoia among sections of the government.
Sedition implies that people have been planning to overthrow the government,
and denying them the chance to complete their term of office. This is a very
serious charge, carrying huge sentences for anyone found guilty. It should
never be used against ordinary people campaigning for their rights and in
demand of services promised by government, even if they may have broken
other lesser laws. We condemn any violence or lawlessness, but demand that
such acts be dealt with under other laws which are quite adequate to cover
such acts, e.g. common law.
COSATU warned of a similar danger in the Anti-Terrorism Act, which, as
originally drafted, before it was amended to take account of some of our
concerns, could have led to normal forms of protest being deemed as
‘terrorism’. There is now a danger of exactly the same thing happening with
sedition. If community activists can be charged with sedition, how long
before trade unionists face the same charges if their strike action spills
over into unlawful actions?
Instead of criminalising the poorest sections of our population, the
government must seek to understand the genuine frustrations of people who
live in inhumane conditions, in slum settlements, where unemployment is
massive and poverty universal. One of the main reasons for COSATU’s Jobs and
Poverty Campaign is precisely to avert the kind of unrest which was always
likely if unemployment stays at its present high levels.
The state must drop those wild sedition charges against people whose
frustrations have boiled over. The matter must be dealt with in a decent,
rational fashion. The NIA must be withdrawn and left to investigate the
country’s real enemies, and the police should investigate the real causes of
the unrest – the slow or non-delivery of services.
Councillors and officials who are failing to deliver on their promises, or
are guilty of corruption, must be immediately removed from office. The
government must stop wasting our public funds.
COSATU believes that the only way to resolve the unrest is through a massive
assault on the underlying problems of mass unemployment and poverty and slow
service delivery.
Paul Notyhawa (Spokesperson)
Congress of South African Trade Unions
1-5 Leyds Cnr Biccard Streets
Braamfontein, 2017
P.O.Box 1019
Johannesburg, 2000
South Africa
Cell: 082 491 1591
Tel: +27 11 339-4911/24
Fax: +27 11 339-5080/6940
E-Mail: [email protected]