FAWU - Response to the White Paper On A Marine Fisheries Policy For South Africa

This document has been written to inform Deputy President Thabo Mbeki of FAWU’s objections to the above-mentioned White Paper. It also includes FAWU’s recommendations for changing the policy. The fishing industry in South Africa is an Apartheid creation. Like other aspects of our society, it needs to be completely transformed and restructured. Currently, the industry is marked by: Monopolised control of every aspect of the fishing value-chain: from production to processing to marketing to distribution; Highly restricted access to the resource by historically disadvantaged members of our society; and Disempowered communities who originally had unrestricted access to marine resources. The above conditions have been created by a process of systematically violating the human rights of fishers and fishing communities. A new White Paper on Fisheries has the potential to change this in a sustainable economic and environmental way. Unfortunately, the 1997 White Paper on Fisheries does not adequately address the legacy of history. In fact, there are more similarities in this Paper to the 1988 Sea Fisheries Act than there is to any framework of transformation. One such framework was put forward by the Fishing Policy Development Committee (FPDC). However, it seems that key aspects of the FPDC’s recommendations were ignored. This is unacceptable

Fisheries Policy and Response to White Paper

This paper is intended to serve as an aid to discussion in the Commission dealing with Sea Fisheries. Accordingly, its various sections provide an overview of the key issues which can inform discussion. Historically, access to marine resources was unrestricted. In order to facilitate the monopolisation of the fishing resource by a few white companies, a system of quotas was ( introduced. In this way many black fisher folk lost the access rights they had had for generations. At the present time, the fishing industry is completely biased in favour of a few large and medium sized white companies. This is illustrated by the fact that just three (3) companies hold; 72% of the hake quota ; 75% of the abalone quota , and 71% of the sole quota. Overall , across all species, approximately nine tenths (9/10) of the resource is controlled by a hand-full of companies. Since 1994, some of these companies have attempted to blacken their faces. They have also sold minority shares to some black business consortia. Further, a few members of the black elite have been given quotas. None of the above amounts to any kind of restructuring. None of the historic imbalances have been addressed. The above have merely been attempts to confuse the issue and to frustrate any process that attempts to restructure the industry. Prior to, and after the 1994 election, there were various initiatives by Alliance members to outline an equitable and just policy of reconstruction and development for the fishing industry

National Bi-annual Conference - President's address

Comrade, General Secretary : Mandla Gxanyana , the acting Office Bearers Lucky Nsizwana , Thomas Basson and Christopher Plaatjies . Leaders of COSATU , SACP , ANC and the present Ministries , Distinguished Guests fraternal forces in the labour movement. I will start by saying we have come a long way as FAWU and we have survived through thick and thin. This was only because of our political understanding and ideological belief on the interconnection of economic struggles with the broad national question. The national liberation has been in the heart of this organisation from its inception in 1941 in the form of African Food and Food and Canning Workers Union. It is both a pleasure and an honour to share the same platform once again with so many leadership of FAWU from all the provinces of our country . Furthermore one feels especially fortunate to be part of this Bi-annual conference . Two years ago in 1995 , we came together in Bloemfontein for a week long Bi-annual Conference . A programme was produced and adopted by the conference and furthermore a action plan to implement the Programme was discussed by the NEC and also endorsed . If we have to be honest not all the aims and objectives we set for ourselves we have manage to achieve them as expected per the mandate of our last Conference , there are number of reasons for that, the G .S report will deal with some of them . Nevertheless we manage to implement some of the areas e.g. setting the tone for Super Bargaining Council which has to put a process of standardise wages in the Food and Beverage Sector and come up with clear industrial policy on the following areas training and grading , industrial provident fund and other benefits. We have reached this date not without problems internally as leaders of the organisation and as the broad membership . Let us lead this organisation and the masses of workers in theory but also in practice. The prospects of achieving a revolutionary break through in South Africa are greater today than ever before in our history. The 27th of April was just a confirmation of the long standing vision of transforming the country from the ashes of Apartheid monopoly Capitalism to Apartheid free South Africa. We owe the workers of this country an answer, the landless rural masses, students , women and all peace loving people. Because it is through the mobilisation , organisation and unity in action of this large front of forces who made it possible from every corner of our country Apartheid to be unworkable

Resolution on fisheries

Historically, access to marine resources was unrestricted. In order to facilitate the monopolisation of the fishing resource by a few white companies, a system of quotas was introduced. In this way many black fisher folk lost the access rights they had had for generations. At the present time, the fishing industry is completely biased in favour of a few large and medium sized white companies. This is illustrated by the fact that just three (3) companies hold : • 72% of the hake quota; • 75% of the abalone quota, and • 71 % of the sole quota Overall, across all species, approximately nine tenths (9/10) of the resource is controlled by a hand-full of companies. Since 1994, some of these companies have attempted to blacken their faces. They have also sold minority shares to some black business consortia. Further, a few members of the black elite have been given quotas. None of the above amounts to any kind of restructuring. None of the historic imbalances have been addressed. The above have merely been attempts to confuse the issue and to frustrate any process that attempts to restructure the industry

Resolution on fisheries

Historically, access to marine resources was unrestricted. In order to facilitate the monopolisation of the fishing resource by a few white companies, a system of quotas was introduced. In this way many black fisher folk lost the access rights they had had for generations. At the present time, the fishing industry is completely biased in favour of a few large and medium sized white companies. This is illustrated by the fact that just three (3) companies hold : • 72% of the hake quota; • 75% of the abalone quota, and • 71 % of the sole quota Overall, across all species, approximately nine tenths (9/10) of the resource is controlled by a hand-full of companies. Since 1994, some of these companies have attempted to blacken their faces. They have also sold minority shares to some black business consortia. Further, a few members of the black elite have been given quotas. None of the above amounts to any kind of restructuring. None of the historic imbalances have been addressed. The above have merely been attempts to confuse the issue and to frustrate any process that attempts to restructure the industry

BI-Annual National Conference - Fisheries Policy and Response to White Paper

This paper is intended to serve as an aid to discussion in the Commission dealing with Sea Fisheries. Accordingly, its various sections provide an overview of the key issues which can inform discussion. Historically, access to marine resources was unrestricted. In order to facilitate the monopolisation of the fishing resource by a few white companies, a system of quotas was introduced. In this way many black fisher folk lost the access rights they had had for generations. At the present time, the fishing industry is completely biased in favour of a few large and medium sized white companies. This is illustrated by the fact that just three (3) companies hold;72% of the hake quota ;75% of the abalone quota , and 71 % of the sole quota. Overall , across all species, approximately nine tenths (9/10) of the resource is controlled by a hand-full of companies. Since 1994, some of these companies have attempted to blacken their faces. They have also sold minority shares to some, black business consortia. Further, a few members of the black elite have been given quotas. None of the above amounts to any kind of restructuring. None of the historic imbalances have been addressed. The above have merely been attempts to confuse the issue and to frustrate any process that attempts to restructure the industry. Prior to, and after the 1994 election, there were various initiatives by Alliance members to outline an equitable and just policy of reconstruction and development for the fishing industry

BI-Annual National Conference - Fisheries Policy and Response to White Paper

This paper is intended to serve as an aid to discussion in the Commission dealing with Sea Fisheries. Accordingly, its various sections provide an overview of the key issues which can inform discussion. Historically, access to marine resources was unrestricted. In order to facilitate the monopolisation of the fishing resource by a few white companies, a system of quotas was introduced. In this way many black fisher folk lost the access rights they had had for generations. At the present time, the fishing industry is completely biased in favour of a few large and medium sized white companies. This is illustrated by the fact that just three (3) companies hold;72% of the hake quota ;75% of the abalone quota , and 71 % of the sole quota. Overall , across all species, approximately nine tenths (9/10) of the resource is controlled by a hand-full of companies. Since 1994, some of these companies have attempted to blacken their faces. They have also sold minority shares to some, black business consortia. Further, a few members of the black elite have been given quotas. None of the above amounts to any kind of restructuring. None of the historic imbalances have been addressed. The above have merely been attempts to confuse the issue and to frustrate any process that attempts to restructure the industry. Prior to, and after the 1994 election, there were various initiatives by Alliance members to outline an equitable and just policy of reconstruction and development for the fishing industry

Fishing Policy development consultative meeting

On 27 October 1994 we met at the Good Hope Centre with the purpose of launching a process for developing a fisheries policy. The call of the meeting was driven by the problems and the situation faced by Fisher folk. Communities in the coastal areas are starving and living under bad conditions. These resources are not utilised to address these problems at present as stated in the RDP. The present system creates conflict between individuals and between regions. Since the appointment of Mandla Gxanyana at the Good hope centre meeting lots of things have happened, consultation with regions, forums, organisation and individuals on how to take up this process and the formation of the committee. There was final agreement of bottom up approach. This approach encouraged region like Eastern Cape to take up the process and reported into the siting of the legislature of the Eastern Cape region. In KwaZulu Natal process of creating forum have started which include all the players. I hope this process will create a national Fishing Forum, which shall have committee in the different coastal communities, because RDP outline how our resource should be managed, that our communities are great pillar for the management of our resources