My union experience
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Sam Kikine of SAAWU (South African Allied Workers Union) put my family in the Forest Inn Hotel near the Zululand University. I joined SAAWU. At the beginning of every month, while the workers were at work, the farmer would arrive at their hostels and each worker would be supplied with a bag of mielie meal, beans, salt, tea, powdered milk and a chunk of meat would be hung up. At the end of the month the farmer would decide what the price of the foodstuff was and this would be deducted off the workers' wages. On the mangy wage they were getting there wouldn't be much left. I was running through the cane fields recruiting farm workers, avoiding the farmers, always on the look out for informers and pimps who stood out as time marched on. I saw a lot of human suffering on these farms.
I was terribly harassed by the security forces. The security forces harassed even my wife. I would travel to different meetings with Sam and Isaac Ngcobo, traveling third class on trains.Third class was for Africans only. Whites were usually harassed if they traveled third class
I was involved in a number of strikes, which shocked the Tongaat Hulett group
We gave the workers instructions: “No pangas, no knives, no sticks. You just carry the bible. And you march onto Tongaat Huletts offices.” The strike took place. They parked their tractors and trucks in the roads. And they all marched. It was a peaceful march andthe security forces still tear gassed them. They got an increase in wages and that was the end of the farmers putting prices to their foodstuffs.
SAAWU was a union that split but was winning new membership under Sam, due to my influence. I gave Sam six months of my service without pay. Naturally, this brought hardship down on my family. Our phone bills were thousands of Rands we couldn't pay. Archbishop Hurley and Paddy Kearney paid our phone bill.
“ We never had a normal family life. Whatever normal means? I loved my Dad's motorbike. He used to tie me tightly with rope and we would drive up to Durban, weee-eeeeeee all the way ”, recalls Rebecca.
I was traveling thousands of kilometres assisting SAAWU, from Durban to Johannesburg on numerous occasions as well as Ladysmith, Newcastle and Estcourt. It was in these towns that I opened offices in my name.
Africans could not rent office space at this point in history. The next thing the landlord knew was that an African union was operating on his premises and there was little he could do to remove them.
On two separate occasions, I went to England for SAAWU to collect money that had been donated. Another time I went to Stuttgart where I was very warmly welcomed but the hospitality soon came to an end once it was discovered that I was with the faction that supported Sam Kikine. Archbishop Dennis Hurly sponsored one of these trips. The aims and objectives were never attained. While in London there was a meeting set up where I met members from S.A.C.T.U and the A.N.C. I was given instructions for Sam Kikine that he was to disband and they were to join COSATU.
On my return to South Africa I made a full report to Sam and Isaac. They in turn set up a meeting with A.N.C. members at the Victoria Hotel in Johannesburg. This meeting made me more confused than ever as the A.N.C. members were telling Sam he must not disband.
I was terribly harassed by the security forces. The security forces harassed even my wife. I would travel to different meetings with Sam and Isaac Ngcobo, traveling third class on trains.Third class was for Africans only. Whites were usually harassed if they traveled third class
I was involved in a number of strikes, which shocked the Tongaat Hulett group
We gave the workers instructions: “No pangas, no knives, no sticks. You just carry the bible. And you march onto Tongaat Huletts offices.” The strike took place. They parked their tractors and trucks in the roads. And they all marched. It was a peaceful march andthe security forces still tear gassed them. They got an increase in wages and that was the end of the farmers putting prices to their foodstuffs.
SAAWU was a union that split but was winning new membership under Sam, due to my influence. I gave Sam six months of my service without pay. Naturally, this brought hardship down on my family. Our phone bills were thousands of Rands we couldn't pay. Archbishop Hurley and Paddy Kearney paid our phone bill.
“ We never had a normal family life. Whatever normal means? I loved my Dad's motorbike. He used to tie me tightly with rope and we would drive up to Durban, weee-eeeeeee all the way ”, recalls Rebecca.
I was traveling thousands of kilometres assisting SAAWU, from Durban to Johannesburg on numerous occasions as well as Ladysmith, Newcastle and Estcourt. It was in these towns that I opened offices in my name.
Africans could not rent office space at this point in history. The next thing the landlord knew was that an African union was operating on his premises and there was little he could do to remove them.
On two separate occasions, I went to England for SAAWU to collect money that had been donated. Another time I went to Stuttgart where I was very warmly welcomed but the hospitality soon came to an end once it was discovered that I was with the faction that supported Sam Kikine. Archbishop Dennis Hurly sponsored one of these trips. The aims and objectives were never attained. While in London there was a meeting set up where I met members from S.A.C.T.U and the A.N.C. I was given instructions for Sam Kikine that he was to disband and they were to join COSATU.
On my return to South Africa I made a full report to Sam and Isaac. They in turn set up a meeting with A.N.C. members at the Victoria Hotel in Johannesburg. This meeting made me more confused than ever as the A.N.C. members were telling Sam he must not disband.
Shadows of Justice by Graham Michael Lesch : ISBN 978-0-620-38211-3 For more information contact Struan Douglas :
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