1.1. NEHAWU PAYS TRIBUTE TO FIDEL CASTRO, CELEBRATES HEALTH PROFESSIONALSIN THE FRAMEWORK OF THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF SA-CUBA RELATIONS

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1 Volume 4. NUMBER December 2016 Contents Contents NEHAWU pays tribute to Fidel Castro, celebrates Health professionalsin the framework of the 20th anniversary of SA- CUBA relations NEHAWU tribute to Fidel Castro South Africa opposes Land Grab Bill tabled before the Israeli parliament All Workers Militant Front, Greece: On the General Strike of December Xi calls for strengthened ideological work in colleges ANC Mourns Passing of Beata Lipman SACP Linda Jabane free ideological training NEHAWU PAYS TRIBUTE TO FIDEL CASTRO, CELEBRATES HEALTH PROFESSIONALSIN THE FRAMEWORK OF THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF SA-CUBA RELATIONS NEHAWU 12 December 2016 The National Education Health and Allied Workers Union (NEHAWU) celebrated the 20 th anniversary of South Africa-Cuba bilateral relations. The event took place on the 9 December 2016 in the City of Rustenburg, in the North West Province. The event was attended by about 200 workers and 20 Cuban doctors working in the North West Province of South Africa. Five of the doctors were honoured for having completed close to 20 years of selfless service in South Africa, following a cooperation agreement brokered in 1996 between the late El Comandante Fidel Castro Ruz and Nelson Madiba Mandela.

2 The event was addressed by several speakers from NEHAWU national leadership, including President Mzwandile Makwayiba who doubles as the WFTU President elected at its 17 th World Trade Union Congress in October

3 The International Relation Secretary of the SACP Chris Matlhako spoke about the significance of Fidel Castro to our national democratic revolution. He underlined that in spite of the support rendered by Cuba to national liberation, Cubans walked out of Africa carrying only the bodies of their fallen compatriots and not a single ounce of gold, diamond or platinum. The acting Cuban Ambassador Cde Ivan Ferrer addressed and thanked NEHAWU for remembering this contribution by the Cuban revolution. A Cuban doctor Addressing on behalf of the Cuban Health Professionals.

4 Delivering a tribute to Fidel, the General Secretary of NEHAWU Bereng Soke underlined the role of the union affiliated to Cosatu, We have a sustained union campaign to end the American blockade against Cuba. We shall step it up and organise in memory of Fidel Castro and educate our members about the Cuban Revolution NEHAWU TRIBUTE TO FIDEL CASTRO NEHAWU 12 December 2016 During its Cuban Café held on the 9 December 2016 in Rustenburg, the National Education Health and Allied Workers Union (NEHAWU) paid tribute to Fidel Castro. The tribute was delivered by the General Secretary of the NEHAWU Bereng Soke. Fidel was quoted in his speech during his last participation at the congress of the Communist Party of Cuba (CPC). In his address, Fidel told the CPC congress, "I ll be 90 years old soon. Soon I ll be like all the others. The time will come for all of us, but the ideas of the Cuban communists will remain as proof on this planet that if they are worked at with fervour and dignity, they can produce the material and cultural goods that human beings need, and we need to fight without truce to obtain them.

5 Comrade Soke took participants through the full tribute to commemorate the live of this giant. Preceded by the message above, the tribute to Fidel reads as follows: NEHAWU pays tribute to the fallen Commander-in-Chief of the Cuban revolutionary forces, the former President of Cuba, Cde Fidel Castro. Fidel Castro was born on August 13, 1926 in Biran, Oriente, Cuba. He led revolutionary socialist Cuba for close to five decades from He was the party Secretary from 1961 until An illuminative Marxist scholar, Fidel Castro was a renowned anti-imperialist communist revolutionary. We regard him a lifelong friend of Africa and a fountain of support for many African liberation movements in the fight against imperialism and colonialism. He was an inspiration to all progressive forces around the world. We have a sustained union campaign to end the American blockade against Cuba. We shall step it up and organise in memory of Fidel Castro and educate our members about the Cuban Revolution. The Cuban revolution achieved admirable results in human development, especially on the emancipation of women, non-racialism, the eradication of illiteracy, drastic reduction in infant mortality rates, higher levels of scientific knowledge in health, medical research and sports and other technical fields that must be emulated by all progressive and revolutionary movements. This and many other achievements have been possible thanks to the sterling leadership and example of El Comandante Fidel who helped built a jealously guarded sovereignty and revolutionary patriotism amongst the revolutionary masses of Cuba. The death of Fidel epitomises as many have said, an end of an era, for Fidel and revolutionaries like him, lives forever. Long Live El Comandante Fidel Castro Ruz Long Live Long Live the Cuban Revolution Long Live

6 Source: NEHAWU

7 1.3. SOUTH AFRICA OPPOSES LAND GRAB BILL TABLED BEFORE THE ISRAELI PARLIAMENT DIRCO Media Statement 08 December 2016 The South African Government received with shock the news that on Wednesday, 07 December 2016, members of the Israeli Knesset (Parliament) for the Jewish Home Party tabled the Regulations Bill whose purpose is to legitimise the continuing annexation of Palestinian land for settlement construction. 1 Yasser Arafat of Palestine and Madiba in Cape Town Friends indeed. AP Photo The Bill has already been condemned by Israel s Attorney-General, stating that it breaches local and international law. Opposition parties correctly described it as a land grab move. The Bill intends to retroactively legalise 55 illegal outposts by turning them into state-sanctioned settlements. The Bill would also open the door for the legalisation of over 3000 housing units inside existing settlements by expropriating the 5000 dunams of private Palestinian land. It seeks to legalise housing units built by settlers on private Palestinian land if the construction was carried out in good faith, including situations where settlers might not have known that the land was Palestinian and received some support from the state, be it explicit or implicit support. South Africa reiterates that the illegal occupation of Palestinian territory is a direct obstacle to the peace negotiations and is contrary to international law. South Africa calls on all peace-loving people throughout the world to stand up in defence of the two-state solution and strongly opposes the land grab Bill. Enquiries: Clayson Monyela spokesperson for DIRCO on Source: The Department of International Relations and Cooperation 1.4. ALL WORKERS MILITANT FRONT, GREECE: ON THE GENERAL STRIKE OF DECEMBER 8 ALL WORKERS MILITANT FRONT, GREECE 09 December 2016 The Executive Secretariat of PAME sends militant greetings to the thousands strikers, the unemployed, the young, the women, the self-employed, the fighting small farmers, to all those, who gave decisive response to the threats and the obstacles, to all those who successfully organized the National General Strike of December 8 in the factories, the workplaces, to all those who took part in the big Strike Demonstrations in more than 60 cities all over Greece. The strike of December 8, gave response to the lies of the Government, which attempts to present black as white, and

8 celebrates with the European Union, the IMF and the big corporations of every branch for the growth and recovery of the Economy. Growth will be built over the wreckage of the workers rights and gains, it will be built over the bodies and the sacrifices of the working class, by escalating exploitation, new cuts in workers wages, new brutal taxes to the people. The strike gave response within the branches and the workplaces, against the negative conditions created by the old and new measures. We call the trade union organizations to give their best efforts for the reconstruction of the trade union movement. This is what they fear those who are afraid of the workers strength. This is why they want the workers into submission, under defeatism and compromise. Those who are terrified of our slogan Without Workers No Cog Can Move, Workers Can Without Bosses. This is what the business groups, their political representatives, the unions controlled by the employers and the Government, are all afraid. The unions controlled by the employers and the Government, the affiliates of ETUC-ITUC, who did NOTHING for the preparation of the strike. That is why on the day of the strike they could only organize a gathering of a few dozens executives, without any workers. PAME calls the workers into militant struggle, continuous and escalating. No tolerance to the lies of the SYRIZA Government and the Business Groups, to the new attack. Strengthen the Organization in the Unions. Strengthen the cores of struggle in every branch and workplace. Source: PAME, Greece 1.5. XI CALLS FOR STRENGTHENED IDEOLOGICAL WORK IN COLLEGES Xinhua, Editor: huaxia Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of Central Military Commission, speaks at a two day meeting on ideological and political work in China's universities and colleges, which wound up on Dec. 8, 2016 in Beijing, capital of China. (Xinhua/Ju Peng) BEIJING, Dec. 8 (Xinhua) Chinese President Xi Jinping has said ideological work in colleges should be integrated into the entire education process, underlining the need of firm Party leadership in higher education.

9 Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks at a two day meeting on ideological and political work in China's universities and colleges, which concluded Thursday. Members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee Liu Yunshan, Wang Qishan and Zhang Gaoli attended the meeting, together with other senior officials and college officials. As higher education is a key factor in a country's development potential, it is urgent for China to improve the quality of its higher education, Xi said. China's unique history, culture and national conditions have dictated the development path for higher education and college featuring socialism with Chinese characteristics, according to Xi. As higher education shoulders the major responsibility of cultivating successors for the socialist cause, it must adhere to correct political orientation, Xi said, adding that only by cultivating first class talent can universities become world class institutions. Improving the ability to cultivate talent is the core work of higher education and must be the focus, Xi said. "China's higher education institutions are under the leadership of the CPC, and are socialist colleges with Chinese characteristics, so higher education must be guided by Marxism, and the Party's policies in education must be fully carried out," said Xi.

10 The president called for greater efforts to teach Marxist theory to help students lay an ideological foundation for their lives. Ideological and political work is fundamentally work about individuals, Xi said. The work must focus on students, caring for them, serving them, and helping them improve in ideological quality, political awareness, moral characteristics and humanistic quality to enable them to develop both ability and integrity, according to Xi. "Students should be educated to be aware of the development trends of China and the world at large," Xi said, adding that they should develop firm beliefs and confidence in lofty communist ideals and socialism with Chinese characteristics. "Students should be encouraged to integrate their own ideals and pursuits into the cause of the nation," Xi said, urging colle ges to educate their students to be bold trailblazers and "translate their ideals into concrete actions." Xi stressed that colleges should make full use of classroom teaching, strengthening teaching on ideological and political theory through reforms to make ideological and political education more appealing. Xi urged college teachers to be "disseminators of advanced ideology and culture" and "staunch supporters of governance by the Party," so that they can better guide students in their growth. Adherence to the Party's leadership is essential to the development of higher education in the country, Xi said, calling for efforts to ensure firm Party leadership in the field and "build colleges into strongholds that adhere to Party leadership." Xi called on Party authorities to prioritize the ideological and political work in colleges and strengthen their leadership in the field. Party authorities should increase their contact with intellectuals in colleges, befriend them and sincerely listen to their opinions, Xi said. Xi stressed the importance of the leadership of college Party committees, asking them to strengthen the construction of grassroots Party organizations and improve their ability in ideological and political work. Hailing the contributions made by college staff involved in ideological and political work, the president called for more efforts to foster qualified officials and teachers for colleges. Liu Yunshan said that Xi's remarks are guidelines on ideological and political work for colleges under the current circumstan ces, urging authorities to act accordingly. Liu also called on authorities to realize the significance of improving the ideological and political work and uphold the Party's leadership over colleges. Source: ANC MOURNS PASSING OF BEATA LIPMAN 09 December 2016 African National Congress The African National Congress is saddened by the news of the passing on of Comrade Beata Lipman. A revolutionary democrat, accomplished author, film maker and maker of history, Beata Lipman was known for, amongst her many notable contributions, the scribing in hand of the Freedom Charter South Africa s political lodestar and the ANC s primary programme of action. Together with her husband, Alan Lipman, Comrade Beata Lipman played a key role in the drafting of the Charter, which would later lay a solid foundation for the development of South Africa s Constitution. As we prepare to mark 20 years since the late ANC and South African President, Comrade Nelson Mandela, signed the Constitution into law, we remember with reverence the immeasurable sacrifices made by many, including Comrade Lipman, for us to enjoy the freedoms we do today. With no expectation of recognition or selfish reward, these heroes of our struggle shunned the privileges of their race, and were rather an embodiment of the values to which South Africa continues to aspire a non-racial South Africa united in a common quest to build a society where all her people could live in conditions of equality, liberty and peace. The African National Congress extends its heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of Comrade Beata Lipman. May they be comforted during this time of grief by the knowledge of the indelible mark her hand made to bring us closer to realising the dream of the Congress of the People in 1955.

11 ISource: Zizi Kodwa, National Spokesperson, African National Congress Enquiries:Khusela Sangoni, SACP LINDA JABANE FREE IDEOLOGICAL TRAINING SACP Linda Jabane District 10 December 2016 The SACP Linda Jabane District will host a night vigil Umrabulo session for all its ten (10) Red Thursday political class. The session is aimed at building a core of district commissariat for 2017 Red October Centenary and defending our revolutionary gains and advancing our revolution. The session will be held on the December 2016 at 21h00 (9pm) to 06h00am in Alexander East bank High School. The topics for the day as follows: (a) Central Committee Political Report of March 2016 Mobilising Working Class Centred People Power (b) Central Committee Political Report August 2016 Revitalising the National Democratic Revolution. This will pay attention towards developing an analysis of the current epoch and character of the revolution, the role of a communist cadre, the role of the SACP, the type of leadership required for the national democratic revolution and the position of the SACP and state power. (c) Historical materialism and the development of society. The main reading will be Frederick Engels Origins of Family, Private Property and State. (d) A lecture about the live of Linda Jabane, will precede the ideological classes. Source: Linda Jabane District, Afrika Masoa, ISSUED BY NEHAWU HOUSE 56 MARSHALL STREET, JOHANNESBURG PO BOX 10812, JOHANNESBURG, 2001 TEL: FAX: WEBSITE: info@nehawu.org.za