Browsing by Author "Gwala, Reginald Desmond Sibusiso"

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    An investigation into the activities and perceptions of the national union of mineworkers organising in the Zululand District of the Natal Region
    (2000) Gwala, Reginald Desmond Sibusiso; du Toit, M.K.
    It will be recalled that in the past two decades or so, many Black trade unions organising in this country, especially those affiliated to COSATU, did not confine their activities to issues emanating directly from the workplace, but they engaged in broad socio-political issues. In the 1980's some Black trade unions formed alliances with political organisations such as the United Democratic Front (UDF) in order to attain broad socio-political goals. Black trade unions regarded themselves as important change agents in what was perceived to be an undemocratic social order. These unions engaged in different forms of protest actions demanding issues of a broad socio-political nature such as the release of political prisoners, the unbanning of political organisations and the establishment of a democratically elected Government in South Africa. Trade union leaders argued in the past that for as long as the political organisations were banned and their leaders were in jail, they would continue to play a dominant role in the politics of this country. The impression was created then that with the unbanning of political organisations, the release of political prisoners and the establishment of a democratically elected Government, Black trade unions would focus their attention on "bread and butter" issues i.e. issues emanating directly from the workplace.