uMkhonto we Sizwe Party(MK Party) expresses its profound concern and
disapproval of the Ramaphosa-ANC government’s recent announcement to
drastically reduce The South African Post Office’s (SAPO) workforce from
11,083 to a mere 6 383 employees. This decision threatens to retrench
approximately 42% of SAPO’s current staff, impacting around 4,700 individuals.
Such a move is not only cold-hearted but also recklessly timed, as it unfolds
against the backdrop of an economy growing at a sluggish rate of
approximately 1% and a staggering unemployment rate of 42%, with the black
community being disproportionately affected.
The implications of this decision are dire. In a country where each employed
individual often supports an average of eight family members, a legacy of the
apartheid era compounded by the current administration’s failures, the
implications from these retrenchments will be devastating for countless
families.
The MK Party stands firmly against this neo-liberal policy, which is indicative of
a broader pattern of systemic disinvestment in and dismantling of State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) under the guise of Ramaphosa-ANC governance,
particularly orchestrated by Pravin Gordhan with President Ramaphosa’s
endorsement.
This is not an isolated incident but part of a troubling trend that has seen the
dismantling and sell-off of national assets, including the tragic downfall of
South African Airways (SAA), which was sold off for a mere R51, and the
decline of once-proud entities such as Denel and PRASA into mere shadows of
their former selves. These actions have led to significant job losses, leaving
many employees struggling to survive. This strategy, aimed at devaluing SOEs
for sale to the benefactors of the CR17 campaign, reveals a blatant disregard
for the welfare of employees and their families, and a prioritization of the
interests of a select few over the national good.
Furthermore, the hurried move to break Eskom into three parts before the
May 29 elections for easier privatization to allies of the current administration,
along with similar plans for Transnet, showcases a concerted effort to
undermine and privatize our national infrastructure, disregarding the
socioeconomic repercussions on the workforce and the broader public.
The MK Party commits to reversing these injustices upon assuming office on
May 29, 2024. Our immediate actions will include halting all pending
retrenchments and initiating efforts to reinstate those who have been unjustly
removed from their positions. We pledge to restore the integrity, stability, and
operational capacity of our SOEs and to prioritize the creation and
preservation of jobs for South Africans.
In this critical moment, the MK Party calls upon all South Africans to stand
united in granting us the 2/3 majority needed to rectify the extensive damage
inflicted by the Ramaphosa-ANC administration on our nation’s valuable SOEs
and to support our mission of job restoration and creation. Together, we can
reclaim the promise of a prosperous, equitable, and just South Africa for all its
citizens.
