Summary of Meeting with Gen. Sec. Jay Naidoo, COSATU

Summary of a meeting with Jay Naidoo, General Secretary of COSATU (Congress of South African Trade Unions) on February 25, 1991. The report says "South Africa is at a crossroads," COSATU General Secretary Jay Naidoo told LCAA sponsors at D.C. 37; Naidoo was returning to South Africa after addressing the twice yearly meeting of the AFL-CIO; he called the meeting "very fruitful" in normalizing relations between the two federations, and praised the resolution adopted by the convention (see attached), especially for its strong pro-sanctions position. The report says the Nationalist Party under President DeKlerk is committed to reform, Naidoo explained, but the real question is how far it is willing to open the political process and allow direct majority participation in determining the country's future; the South African government has not yet met the preconditions for negotiations set out by the United Nations; it has not created a climate of free political activity; thousands remain in prison and in exile; arrests, detentions and political trials go on unabated; attacks, assassinations, arson and general harassment by the security forces and their informal allies against the unions and democratic opposition organizations continue and appear to be increasing; the day before our meeting, Naidoo pointed out, the northern Transvaal COSATU office was burglarized under suspicious circumstances. The report says COSATU maintains the post-apartheid government must have the power to resolve the tremendous consolidation of wealth and power apartheid created, to the benefit of the black majority, whose lives have been emiserated; but Nationalist Party and its big business supporters do not want to see their current control over the economy undermined; President DeKlerk has rejected the ANC's primary demand for establishment of an interim government to oversee a general election of a constituent assembly to draft the new constitution; instead, DeKlerk proposes an "all Party Congress", with representatives from established political parties, as the forum for negotiations for a new Constitution. The report says while the ANC and COSATU endorse the "all Party Congress" to move the process forward, both organizations are adamant that it must not replace a general election; the leaders who negotiate the constitution of a post-apartheid South Africa, Naidoo said, must prove that they have the support of the people; responding to a question about Inkatha leader Gatsha Buthelezi, Naidoo said that COSATU has always argued for Inkatha's right to exist. The report says in addition, an interim government needs to be established to counter the current government's complete control over the police, military and broadcast media. The report says COSATU and NACTU's recent victory in rolling back the 1988 Labor Relations Amendment Act will lead to new union demands for reform of government labor and manpower agencies. The report says COSATU has not called for nationalization, but expects the state to play an active role in restructuring the economy to counter the extreme monopolization, and to redirect production to meet the needs of the majority; the manufacturing sector should take precedent over mining in the future in COSATU's view. The report says when asked what we can do, Naidoo was clear: 1. Pressure the U.S. government to maintain economic sanctions against South Africa until there is a general election to establish a constituent assembly to redraft the South African constitution. 2. Endorse the AFL-CIO's resolution to support and strengthen the independent, non-racial trade union movement of South Africa. 3. Defend South African unionists against further government and "third force" vigilante attacks. The report says COSATU holds the DeKlerk government responsible for so-called "black-on-black" violence and calls for an international commission to investigate security force involvement in the attacks. COSATU demands President DeKlerk arrest and prosecute security force members who collaborate in the violence, and implement an enforceable code of conduct governing their behavior. The report discusses the ANC (African National Congress), F.W. de Klerk, restructuring institutions that make legislation on labour, the training boards, UIF boards, extending union rights to farmworkers, domestics, the public sector, the demand for a constituent assembly, a pressure campaign, democracy, the current government, negotiations, the AFL-CIO, and public attention.