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=Civil society has been infiltrated – Sikazwe=


 * By Bivan Saluseki**

Post, Friday March 31, 2006
WOMEN for Change executive director Emily Sikazwe has said civil society has been infiltrated.

During a civil society meeting with South African Communist Party (SACP) general secretary Dr Blade Nzimande at Hotel Intercontinental on Wednesday, Sikazwe said it was difficult to work together as civil society because after sitting down and strategising, some members were seen coming out of State House.

“All we are asking for is solidarity. We know what has to be done, all we are asking for is solidarity,” she said.

“The civil society has worked very hard to fight the legislation that was left by Chiluba.”

Sikazwe said Dr Kaunda would perhaps not have sold the companies like Chiluba did.

She said Chiluba offloaded several workers on the streets.

She said it was ironic for a former trade unionist like Chiluba to do what he did to his fellow workers.

Sikazwe said the trade union movement was strong during the one party state.

FODEP president Sam Mulafulafu said there was trade imbalance between Zambia and South Africa.

Mulafulafu said jobs were being generated in South Africa and being killed in Zambia.

NGOCC chairperson Lucy Muyoyeta said the ascendancy of Chiluba to power was disastrous to the trade union.

She said Dr Kaunda passed legislation openly while Chiluba passed legislation that was fraudulent to manipulate and interfere with the trade union movement.

“The trade union is weak largely because of interfering,” said Muyoyeta.

She thanked Dr Nzimande for his visit to Zambia.

Muyoyeta said in the past links had been missing and now with links, civil society would manage struggles much better.

And Dr Nzimande said the SACP had produced real heroes and heroines of the struggle.

He said the cadre and quality of leadership had been part of the forces that liberated South Africa.

Dr Nzimande said the SACP, ANC, and COSATU alliance had succeeded in the struggle because South Africa had a very large working class, which was organised into unions.

“The private sector hates us but we are a reality,” he said.

Dr Nzimande said the SACP’s strengthen was from its 40,000 members who made personal contributions.

“Of course the private sector would like to destroy SAPC. Capitalism is our strategic enemy,” he said.

Dr Nzimande said most of the problems being faced were offshoots of capitalism.

He advised NGOs to have strong links with the masses.

“NGOs without mass struggles are always vulnerable to the state,” he said.

Dr Nzimande said Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe had smashed the NGOs because they were not linked with the masses.

“You need actual mobilisation without that you have no backing against the state. You need to be connected to mass organisation,” he said.

The civil society asked the SACP to help in the fight against exploitation of Zambian workers by South African investors.


 * From: http://www.postzambia.com/post-read_article.php?articleId=8284**

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