Messages+on+the+passing+of+John+Gomomo,+24+January+2008

//Comrade John Phumzile Gomomo, who became the Second Deputy President of COSATU in 1989 and was elected President in 1991 until he vacated the position following his redeployment to the national assembly in 1999, passed away at around 11:00 on January 22, 2008.//

//His family has decided that the funeral be held on February 9, 2008 in Uitenhage.//

//[COSATU has] produced an initial obituary, which will be published in the Mail and Guardian tomorrow, January 25, 2008. A more detailed obituary will be produced with the assistance of Jay Naidoo, Moses Mayekiso, Enoch Godongwana and others who worked closely with him in COSATU and in his union NUMSA.//

//Messages of support to his family as well as flowers could be sent to his home address at No.35 Matanzima Road, P.O. KwaNobuhle, Uitenhage.//


 * //COSATU//**


 * SACP Media Release, 24 January 2008**

=On the passing away of Cde John Gomomo=

The SACP has learned with great sadness of the passing way of Cde John Gomomo on the 22nd January 2008. Cde Gomomo, at the time of his passing away was one of the long-standing members of the SACP, and served on its Central Committee between 1991 and 1998. He was a dedicated and hard working communist, who lived and died an exemplary communist – he hated exploitation and was a champion in the struggle against all forms of inequalities and completely committed to the struggle socialism.

Cde Gomomo served the workers and the poor of this country with excellence and was a committed fighter in uplifting the conditions of the workers. He tirelessly fought against the abuse of workers and championed for the recognition of their rights in various capacities that he served in at COSATU. He was indeed one of the founding fathers of our militant ally, COSATU.

He was deployed by the giant trade union federation COSATU to parliament and he carried out his task diligently until affected by ill health.

In his honour, we will continue to fight side by side with COSATU and the rest of the trade union movement to overcome the new challenges facing the working class, including casualisation, retrenchments, outsourcing, privatization and to deepen our struggle for farmworkers’ rights, and generally the slave like conditions that many of the farmworkers and dwellers are subjected to by reactionary and racist farmers.

We will also deepen the struggle for a developmental state, by ensuring that we build a strong, accountable and progressive public sector, in honour of his role as the Chair of the Public Service and Administration portfolio committee.

Hamba Kahle Nyelezi! Lala ngoxolo, usebenzile!


 * Issued by the SACP.**
 * For information Contact Malesela Maleka, SACP Spokesperson**


 * NUMSA Media Release, 23 January 2008**

=Numsa mourns the death of its long time stalwart=

The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) is saddened with profound sense of loss at the passing away of one of its founder leader and former Cosatu President John Phumzile Gomomo.

He died yesterday at a Uitenhage clinic on January 22, 2008 after long illness.

Gomomo, the struggle champion and defender of workers’ rights is Numsa’s long- term stalwart and the former vice- president of the National Automobile and Allied Workers Union (Naawu) which was one of Numsa’s forerunners.

He successfully led major campaign to enlist African and coloured workers in the trade union in the 1970’s at the time when it was illegal for blacks to join unions. He became the first chairperson of the Eastern Cape region of the Federation of South African Trade Unions (Fosatu) which was a forbearer of Cosatu.

A full-time senior shop steward in Volkswagen plant, Uitenhage for several decades, Gomomo distinguished himself in working for the unity workers. He played a major role in the discussions that led to several metalworkers’ unions’ merger to form Numsa in 1987, after working towards the launch of Cosatu.

Gomomo was detained under the state of emergency with several other Cosatu activists in 1985 at the height of black political resistance in the Eastern Cape. He remained a key Numsa leader in auto sector after he was elected Cosatu vice President in 1989 and later Cosatu President. He was later elected to parliament after the advent of the national democratic dispensation in 1994.

In paying tribute to Gomomo, Numsa general secretary Silumko Nondwangu said though he always had tight schedule as the chairperson of the parliamentary portfolio committee on Public Service and Administration, he was always committed to the cause of the labour movement as he availed himself when called to assist in building unity in labour.

“We extend our heartfelt condolences to his family for allowing Gomomo to serve his people unselfishly,” Nondwangu said.


 * For further information contact Mziwakhe Hlangani, Numsa national spokesperson**




 * ANC Media Release, 23 January 2008**

=On the death of John Gomomo=

It is with deep regret and a profound sense of loss that the African National Congress has learnt of the passing away of former Cosatu President John Gomomo (22 January 2008).

Gomomo, a Member of Parliament and a champion of worker rights, had been in hospital since last November.

He had been ill for a while and was as a result unable to perform his tasks as chairperson of the portfolio committee on Public Service and Administration.

Some of the positions he filled, include president of Cosatu and leader of the National Automobile and Allied Workers Union.

In paying tribute to Gomomo, ANC Secretary General Gwede Mantashe said he distinguished himself as a leader of the trade union movement, serving in a variety of leadership positions of Cosatu's affiliate unions.

Mantashe said Gomomo's commitment and loyalty to the cause of the Mass Democratic Movement would forever be treasured by the ANC.

The ANC extends its heartfelt condolences to his family, friends and colleagues as we mourn this servant of the people.


 * May His Soul Rest in Peace.**


 * Issued by African National Congress**
 * For more information contact: Tiyani Rikhotso**




 * COSATU Media Release, 23 January 2008**

=John Gomomo=

The Congress of South African Trade Unions has been deeply saddened to hear the news that John Gomomo, President of COSATU from 1991 to 1999, passed away yesterday, 22 January 2008, after a long and brave struggle against illness. We send our condolences to his family and share their grief at this sad time of loss.

We dip our flags in honour of one of the greatest leaders of the South African workers, who devoted his entire life to their service and will be forever remembered as a hero of the struggle for freedom, democracy and workers’ rights. The mighty workers’ movement we see today would never have been built without the dedication, commitment and hard work of people like John Gomomo.

His life reads like a history of the South African trade union movement. He led the National Automobile and Allied Workers Union (NAAWU) when he was working at Volkswagen in Uitenhage in the 1970s. This was one of the unions, organising mainly the blue-collar black workers, that led the revival of the democratic movement in 1970s and the historic 1972/3 Durban strikes.

These are also some of the unions that formed FOSATU in 1979, and took part in the four-year long unity talks that led to the creation of NUMSA, and then COSATU in December 1985. They also, with other organs of people power, created the United Democratic Front in 1983.

John Gomomo was at the heart of all these developments.

Then in 1991 he was elected to COSATU’s highest office - national president - and represented the federation and the workers of South Africa with great distinction. He spearheaded the campaign in 1995 for the Labour Relations Act and the Employment Equity Act in 1997. He graphically summed up the workers’ opposition to the government‘s Growth, Employment and Redistribution (Gear) strategy, when he described it as “the reverse gear of our society”.

After leaving COSATU, he continued to serve the people as an ANC Member of Parliament and Chairperson of the [|Portfolio Committee on Public Service and Administration].

John Gomomo was a great leader and servant of the trade union movement. He worked tirelessly to improve the lives of his fellow workers and all the people of South Africa. He will be very sorely missed.


 * Patrick Craven, National Spokesperson, Congress of South African Trade Unions**

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