Dear Learn and Teach, I want to tell Sloppy that I am happy that his dream in the Namibia issue of Learn and Teach came true. Sloppy dreamt that the people’s leaders would be free, speaking to the masses. He dreamt that the masses would be chanting freedom songs and celebrating their freedom. A short while later Mr Nelson Mandela and other political prisoners were freed. Now that we have seen Sloppy’s dream come true, Comrade Sloppy must be given more time to sleep. We hope he will dream about other events which will take place in a new South Africa. J. Mavuso PIMVILLE
Sloppy replies: Heyta daar! I was as pleased as you to see my dream come true. I think I’ll take your advice and try to do a lot of sleeping from now on. Maybe I’ll dream of more wonderful things and maybe they will also happen!
Dear Learn and Teach, I am very shocked to hear and see what the Conservative Party’s Dr Andries Treurnicht is doing. He is trying to fight against the reforms for a new South Africa. I read in The Star newspaper that Dr Treurnicht said he would rather rule over a small country for whites than a large country for blacks. I thought that religious ministers want to help to bring peace and justice in this country. But Treurnicht is a wolf in sheep’s clothing. So, please Dr Treurnicht, if you want to do the work of the devil, leave your religious career. God does not allow apartheid in his paradise. I say, you CP, watch out for the day when there is one person one vote. Blessed are the whites who wish to live together with all the people of this country. I appeal to all whites to join the ANC. Let us negotiate to build a new South Africa. Long live the ANC, the people’s government. E. K. ROODEPOORT
Dear Learn and Teach, Comrades, please help me to help my comrades. I am 16 years old and I live in Mothotlung. I am sick in my heart when I think of the comrades who died in Ga-Rankuwa on the 7th March 1990. Bop police are black like me but they treat black people like donkeys. When I think about the comrades who work in Bophuthatswana factories, my heart is very sore. Most people who work in the factories are women, for example, at the Gommagomma factory. They do all kinds of work but they only get R60 or R90 a week and the cost of living is high. I ask the comrades in other places, please try to help us here in Bophuthatswana. I want to say: Viva Comrades! E.L MOTHOTLUNG
Dear Learn and Teach, At the same time as people were celebrating the unbannings and the releases of the ANC leaders, a witch hunt happened in the northern parts of our country. People used the witch hunt as a way of getting rid of their unhappiness with a government which does not represent most of the people of the country. I call on witch hunters to stop their senseless and terrible killings. Instead people must use their energy to fight for a government which stands for them. B.S. XIKUNDU
Dear Learn and Teach, I am a girl of 22 years. I registered with Success Correspondence Coliege to study for my matric. My mother was paying the account for me. But now my mother is at home, sick. She can no longer afford to pay Success College and look after my younger brothers and sisters. I have written many letters telling Success College about my problem but I have never received an answer. Then I received a letter from Success College saying they were taking me to court because I have not paid. Please help me. Elizabeth Tshabalala
Thank you for your letter, Elizabeth. We asked Success College if they would cancel your registration and forget about the money you owe them. They refused. They say that once you have signed the contract, you MUST pay. But they say you can make an arrangement with them. If you pay them at R5 a month, they will not take you to court. You must write to them as soon as possible to make an agreement with them about paying off the money that you owe them.
Dear Learn and Teach, I greet you in the name of the struggle for a non- racial and democratic South Africa. I want to get a copy of Mzwakhe Mbuli’s poetry so I can read the poems at funerals. Where can I get it? Samuel Themba TLHABANE
Thank you for your letter, Samuel. You can order the book from COSAW at this address:- P.O. Box 421007 Fordsburg 2033. Send a R6 postal order.
Dear Learn and Teach, I am a 23 year old construction worker. I work for Adamson Nielsen. When you start working for them, you sign a form which says that you are a temporary worker. If you refuse to sign, then you are fired. Some people have worked for three years as temporary workers. We are worried. If we are temporary, does this mean that if we are injured, we will not get Workmen’s Compensation? What about our other benefits? Please help us as most of us are not members of a union and we feel insecure. Worried Worker KATLEHONG
Thank you for your letter. We spoke to Adamson Nielsen. They say that all their workers sign this form because they do not want their workers to be permanent. The reason they do this is so that if they don’t have enough work, they can retrench all their workers without paying retrenchment pay. Most construction and building companies work in the same way. The only way workers can change this, is if all construction workers join a union. Then the union can fight for permanent work. There are two unions for construction workers if you want to join: CAWU (COSATU union) 6th Floor, Manchester House 68 Pritchard Street, Johannesburg 2001 Tel: (011) 29-4072 or 29-3707 BCAWU (NACTU union) 5th Floor, Lekton House 5 Wanderers Street, Johannesburg 2001 Tel: (011) 23-6311/2/3 Adamson Nielsen did say that even though you are temporary, you do pay into the Unemployment Insurance Fund and Workmen’s Compensation. You also contribute to a pension fund. So if you lose your job, you can still get these benefits.
Dear Learn and Teach, Last year I was detained. They kept me in a cell for three months. I was beaten. In February this year I was detained again. This time I was kept at Dzanani Police Station. Again I was beaten very badly. I can’t stop thinking about what happened to me. I can’t sleep and I suffer from stomach pains. At night sometimes the police come and park next to my house. Often when I get home, the police have been asking my wife where I am. Can you help me? Comrade MAKONDE
Thank you for your letter. We are sorry to hear of your suffering. We suggest that you speak to the people at the Northern Transvaal Council of Churches about your problems. We think they can help you. Their address is:- Van der Stel Building 20b Vorster St Pietersburg 0699 Tel: (01521) 3872
Dear Learn and Teach, Greetings in the name of peace, democracy and freedom. I greet all the ANC leaders and the comrades who are trying to play a progressive role in Gazankulu. 1 tell you that the people of Gazankulu are suffering. The children have not been at school since February and the workers are not at work. The reason for this is that Gazankulu does not want to be led by Chief Minister H.W. Ntsanwisi. He has only shown his people dishonesty. The people of Gazankulu want to be led by one of the ANC leaders rather than the merciless Ntsanwisi. Worried GAZANKULU
Dear Learn and Teach, I am a member of the S.A. Prison Services but 1 come from the Transkei. 1 had a dompas but 1 lost it. When 1 went to get a new ID Book at the Department of Home Affairs, they refused to give me one because 1 come from the Transkei. 1 can see no reason why 1 cannot get an ID book because 1 am working for the Republic. 1 regard myself as a citizen of South Africa. Griffiths
Thank you for your letter, Griffiths. The people at the Department of Home Affairs are wrong. If you were working in South Africa when the Transkei became independent, you can get a South African ID Book. We suggest that you go and ask the Black Sash Advice office in Durban for help. Their address is:- 27 Ecumenical Centre 20 St Andrews Rd Durban 4001 Tel: (031) 301-9215
Dear Learn and Teach, I am glad to write to you after my detention at Matlala Police station where I spent 25 days. Now I want to start an organisation called the Mohodi Youth Congress. I also want to use this opportunity to say that the ball is in our court and it is our duty to play it in such a way that peace, stability and liberty will be ours. I want to join some other organisations. Please send me the addresses. Abbey MOHODI
Thank you for your letter, Abbey. Unfortunately you did not give us your address so we can only answer you in the magazine. Here are two addresses which we hope you will find useful:- South African Youth Congress (SAYCO) 2nd Floor Darragh House Wanderers Street (corner Plein Street) Johannesburg 2000 Tel: (011) 337-7215/6/7 African National Congress (ANC) P.O. Box 2424 Johannesburg 2000 Tel (011) 834-5301
Dear Learn and Teach, In the name of the Freedom Charter, we greet all the ANC leaders. We are black South African Police in Soweto. We want Learn and Teach to speak for us. The government of South Africa has not let us take part in any kind of politics. These are our demands: • We want our union, POPCRU, to be recognised. • We want to be given permission to join any political organisation of our choice. • We want the South African government to stop using us as their tools. • We want to serve and protect the people. • We don’t want to kill people who stand for truth and who march for our rights. • The government must remove white policemen from the township as they use us as their tools. • We want the SAP and municipal police to become one. • Apartheid must stop in the police force. • We want a new constitution for South Africa. We want the State President to know of our complaints. We want the ANC and the ANC Deputy leader, Dr Nelson Mandela, to help us. South African Police SOWETO
Dear Learn and Teach, I say Viva to all freedom fighters of South Africa. I am a reader of Learn and Teach and a resident of KwaNdebele. I worked at Albany Bakery from March 1985 until October 1989. In November 1987 our pensions were changed so that we contributed to the Tiger Oats Provident Fund. Now I am worried about my pension. I have beer waiting for Albany Bakeries to send it to me for 6 months but it has not yet arrived. My work number was 999365. David Mnguni MAMELODI EAST
Thank you for your letter, David. We have spoken to Albany Bakery about your pension The woman there said that your pension forms were not sent to the Tiger Oats Provident Fund. But she says that she has now sent your forms. She says you will get your pension within the next month.
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