From: "Dave Bedggood" <dr.bedggood-AT-auckland.ac.nz>
Date: Tue, 25 Nov 1997 23:36:54 +0000
Subject: M-NEWS: (Fwd) Fw: Solidarity request from South Africa


------- Forwarded Message Follows -------
From:          "ricardo" <davidb-AT-ak.planet.gen.nz>
Subject:       Fw: Solidarity request from South Africa
Date:          Tue, 25 Nov 1997 23:32:31 +1300



----------
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> Subject: Fw: Solidarity request from South Africa
> Date: Tuesday, November 25, 1997 11:36
> 
> Forwarded to all of you, a very shocking and sad brutal murder of a Self
> Employed Women's Union comrade. There is an address at the bottom to
which
> you can send a message..
> 
> ----------
> > From: LabourNet <chrisbailey-AT-gn.apc.org>
> > To: LABOR-L-AT-YORKU.CA; labr.global-AT-conf.gn.apc.org; campaign-AT-intr.net;
> union-d-AT-wolfnet.com; united-AT-cougar.com
> > Subject: Fwd: Solidarity request from South Africa
> > Date: Tuesday, November 25, 1997 12:53 AM
> > 
> > 
> > *********** BEGIN FORWARDED MESSAGE ***********
> > 
> > On 11/24/97, at 11:15 AM, Claire Cunningham <ccunning-AT-csdip.ucd.ie>
> wrote: 
> > 
> > >
> > >SELF-EMPLOYED WOMEN'S UNION, SOUTH AFRICA
> > >REQUEST FOR SUPPORT AND SOLIDARITY ACTION
> > >Please find herewith the profile of SEWU member, the late Gertrude
> > >Zulu, and the preliminary report of her gruesome rape and murder on
> > >Sunday night 16th November 1998.
> > >
> > >As 25 November is the national day against violence against women in
> > >South Africa, we would appreciate MaZulu's story being relayed to
> > >participants in solidarity actions, for women and men to observe a
> > >moments silence in her memory at an appropriate moment and for her
> > >case to be emphasised across the country to highlight the vulnerable
> > >situation of women informal traders. Any other suggestions or
> > >solidarity initiatives will also be welcomed.
> > >
> > >We would appreciate our sister organisations in South Africa and other
> > >countries sending messages of solidarity to SEWU and condolence to
> > >MaZulu's family - these can be passed on by SEWU's KwaZulu-Natal
> > >regional office to the family.
> > >
> > >SEWU is also discussion how to campaign most effectively against
> > >violence against women in the informal sector as a result of this
> > >incident, and we will follow-up this correspondence with further
> > >proposals which emerge.
> > >
> > >Yours
> > >Ms Pat Horn
> > >
> > >General Secretary                                       P.O. Box
> > >62745, Self-Employed Women's Union,                           
> > >Bishopsgate, 40008, 33 Baines House,                                  
> > >     Tel  (031) 304 6504 3rd Floor, 60 Broad Street,                  
> > >          Fax  (0 31) 304 6503 Durban, 4001
> > >
> > >
> > >The Late Gertrude Zulu
> > >The late Gertrude Zulu, 70 years old, was a member of SEWU. She was a
> > >member of the SEWU'S Maydon Wharf branch committee, and the
> > >KwaZulu-Natal Regional Executive Committee (REC) of SEWU. For the past
> > >34 years, she has been selling cooked food iJuba and beer on the
> > >pavement opposite Rennies at the Maydon Wharf on the Durban Harbour,
> > >from early morning to late evening, to workers, working in the Maydon
> > >Wharf area.
> > >
> > >MaZulu lived in Umlazi, but went early every day to Maydon Wharf so as
> > >to be able to sell to the early shift as they went to work. Sometimes,
> > >in order to be there early enough, she would sleep over at her selling
> > >place. Women selling in the area have experienced great hardship and
> > >police harassment, and MaZulu went looking for an organisation to help
> > >her and other women fight for their right to make a living by selling
> > >in the area without continual harassment. This is how the eventually
> > >came to join SEWU. MaZulu was a fighter, who never give up.
> > >
> > >On the night of Sunday 16 November MaZulu was brutally murdered,
> > >apparently after having been raped and tied up at her workplace, not
> > >very far from the Maydon Wharf Police station. Since her murder,
> > >instead of trying to track down the murderers and bring them to
> > >justice, the Maydon Wharf Police have spent their time trying to
> > >forcibly move the other women vendors from the area. Instead of trying
> > >to make the area safe for women after MaZulu's gruesome murder, the
> > >police are trying to deny the other women the right to earn their
> > >living, for which MaZulu and the other SEWU members at the Maydon
> > >Wharf have been struggling so hard for.
> > >
> > >SEWU's KwaZulu-natal Regional office is still investigation the
> > >circumstances of MaZulu's murder, and will be announcing action to be
> > >taken by SEWU and solidarity action to be sought from other
> > >organisations.
> > >
> > >Regional Contacts:      Busi Xaba-Shezi (Regional Secretary)
> > >                        Nomonde Magadla (Organiser)
> > >                        Beauty Maningi (Organiser)
> > >                        Tel (031) 304 3042
> > >                        Fax (031) 304 3719
> > >
> > >This information is also available at the following website:
> > >http://indigo.ie/~clairec
> > >
> > >
> > 
> > *********** END FORWARDED MESSAGE ***********

Dave Bedggood