Dealing with the polictics of labour

socialist or communist countries, their plight is still the same, lack of better amenities, hope for their children and families. The problem has been, just like farm workers, that they are regarded as uneducated, therefore, can be exploited.
What is happening in South Africa is a wake-up call to all governments that the time of passive workers to inhuman treatment is long gone. It is not just the freedom to vote in any general election that the present worker must worship, but the freedom to demand a living wage.
The whole mining sector in South Africa is in turmoil. It has been reported that the workers live in shacks with no running water or proper sewage disposal systems. Some leave their families in the rural areas to come and live in unsanitary compounds not fit for human habitation. The little money they earn is sent home to support the family and other relatives.
Why do mining houses fail to build better houses and schools for their employees? Why do company executives and their shareholders not spend profits on the welfare of their employees? These employees have the same anxieties about the future of their children like anybody else.
The politicians and trade union bosses are paralysed about the ongoing labour unrest. It is not enough to condemn violence brought about by anger over the helplessness of the situation workers find themselves.
The politicians and trade union bosses are being equated to the owners of the mines themselves.
In Zimbabwe, the platinum mines saw it fit to build better houses for their employees and schools for their children. Even the surrounding communities are now benefiting from the mining operations in their areas.
The Government was quick to realise that, not only would production be in jeopardy if employees’ welfare was not taken seriously, but also that the local communities would resent the presence of the mining communities in their areas if they got nothing out of their resources.
This is the credible way of looking at share ownership by employees and community trusts that the Government has embarked upon. But in South Africa, it is just the government and the trade unions together with owners of the mines who are benefiting from the mining resources.
Now, the transport sector in South Africa has joined the strike. It is reported that the ports would be paralysed if the workers join the strike with the effects being felt throughout the Sadc region, which depends on the South African ports.
Most of the workers not in mine compounds live in townships which lack basic amenities with schools that lack textbooks and with second rate education.
It is not that South Africa lacks the resources to finance the welfare of the people but that the money collected through taxes is wasted on luxuries which do not benefit the ordinary people.
In 2010, the hosting of the World Cup in South Africa cost R40 billion. Imagine if the money had been used to upgrade the infrastructure in the townships and schools? One cannot understand the priorities of governments.
A few years ago, Greece borrowed money to host the Olympic Games, but now it is bankrupt and cannot pay back the loans. No to be outdone, in 1995, Zimbabwe  was persuaded by the sports fraternity to host the All Africa Games at a considerable cost. Today, the facilities for which the Government invested the little money it had, are not being utilised.
Some of these sports people have since called it a day while the facilities they advocated for lie idle and dilapidated. But the worker, who generates the money for all these unproductive projects, wallows in poverty. It is just unacceptable.
What does the worker want? The worker wants a living wage which will enable him or her to fend for their families. Is it asking too much, especially when the company is making profits for its shareholders?
The development in State parastatals where the executives were drawing obscene salaries while workers were going for months without their salaries was just inhuman. Now the Government is taking steps to control and redress the situation. We are always being told that the parastatals require capitalisation. The workers understand this, but, surely, no one should live big at the expense of the workers.
Employment creation has taken centre stage in politics all over the world. Debates are being held about ideas of providing employment. Companies in many countries are outsourcing products from countries that under-pay their workers.
Latest developments in technology are being implemented in countries where workers earn slave wages. In Third World countries, we are happy to buy foreign manufactured products which could be made locally.  Although its good politics to talk about employment creation, at the end of the day, everything is forgotten after the elections.
Then other politicians are talking about self-employment as a way of alleviating poverty. This may be the honest way of facing reality — which the ordinary person can understand. If this can lead to entrepreneurship, this would be the only way to empower the ordinary person.