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Date: 01/12/2003
Source: Cosatu
Title: Vavi: Release of the Solidarity Forever album


Speech by Zwelinzima Vavi, General Secretary of the Congress of South African Trade Unions, on the release of the Solidarity Forever Album

1 December 2003, Braamfontein

The first ever music album entirely dedicated to the workers is being launched tonight. It is a fitting tribute to the working people of our country. Workers - the leading detachment of the working class ˆ are once more taking the lead in celebrating and preserving the best of our culture and music.

We led all in the struggle against apartheid and for the return of our dignity as human beings. Once more we are taking the lead to defeat the imperialist culture that is so rooted in our society and to impose the workers‚ and people‚s culture that so many of our cultural activists sacrificed to much to preserve.

This is a fitting salute to the memory of countless heroines and heroes of the working class. Last month in Durban, for example, we celebrated the 30th anniversary of the historic 1973 Durban strikes.

Ten weeks ago we held our historic 8th National Congress, where thousands of enthusiastic delegates attended the live recording of the music you are about to hear tonight. This unprecedented innovation makes all of us very proud of the different roles we have played in moulding and building this giant federation.

Tonight, we know that Elijah Barayi is smiling where he is lying in his grave. We know that JB Marks, Harry Gwala, Jabulile Ndlovu, Simon Ngubane, Neil Aggett and thousands and thousands of workers‚ martyrs are extremely proud that they created and left South African workers this phenomenal movement of unparalleled proportions.

In celebrations we sing. In sorrow we burst into song. In fights and intense confrontations we ululate and dance.

When death stares us in the eye, we toyi toyi and chant slogans. This is a deep culture that must be preserved. This is not only the culture of workers ˆ it is a culture of the African people. It is a culture of fighters with unbelievable levels of resilience and determination.

The majority of our people are poor. They are the people who built this economy. They are the people who dig gold and other precious stones yet die poor and sick. They build cars yet they die in their thousands in unsafe taxis and other forms of public transport. They build houses yet are too poor to afford them and reside in informal settlements.

For years I have wished that one day we would pay a proper tribute to these people, without whose contribution there would be no economy or a better life to talk about.

Early this year I approached a few artists who have, on many occasions, expressed a desire to form a partnership with COSATU to promote our cultural heritage and celebrate our diversity. Suddenly through these discussions the idea of merely cutting and pasting old songs grew into a full scale live recording at our 8th National Congress.

In that process we found ourselves working with this true son of soil, who symbolises resistance against apartheid and whose music is the perfect example of what ideally all music of the former oppressed should do - relate to our living experiences - Hugh Masekela.

The six original artists we spoke to grew into the current 12 who contributed to the Solidarity Forever music album we are launching tonight.

The principal artists in the album are Hugh Masekela, Sbongile Khumalo, Chicco Twala and Nokwazi Dlamini, Busi Mhlongo, Phuzekhemisi, Bambatha, Jonas Gwangwa, Kutu Lebogo ˆ the general secretary of the newest COSATU affiliate ˆ MUSA, Letta Mbulu, Vusi Mahlasela and Jabu Khanyile.

These true sons and daughters of the working people were joined by the best backing band you can assemble - including Fana Zulu, Khaya Mahlangu, Themba Mokoena, Arthur Tshabalala, Ezbie Moilwa, Isaac Mtshali and Basi Mahlasela, Moses Khumalo. The choirs from POPCRU and SADTU joined these glittering stars in this historic production, to make simply the best album compilation ever produced in our country.

Music, and art in general, works like medicine, which in Nguni languages in called uzifozonke. It heals all ills. It unites. It mobilises. It agitates. It heals broken hearts in times of death. It is a clarion call to battle.

The South African public broadcaster is, like all institutions, transforming. The apartheid regime used to brainwash our minds and make us believe that our culture and traditions are a shame. They made many believe that only American and European culture is good for our eyes and ears. Today many of our people know exactly what the American and British flags look like yet they don‚t know any of their neighbouring countries‚ flags. Today our youth can sing word-for-word any of the songs of R Kelly and others from America and elsewhere, yet some of them can‚t even pronounce properly the name of Phuzekhemisi or, worst of all, Salif Keita.

The SABC of the future must help us change this. That is why when sending out our invitations for tonight, we had so much bias towards the management of SABC.

It took a systematic campaign to brainwash our people into believing that their culture and languages were inferior to those of the people who had colonised them. So it will require a systematic campaign to teach and educate all our people that their culture, traditions and music are as important, if not even more important, than all others.

The partnership we have created through this project should be a lifetime commitment. We certainly want to do another workers‚ album when we celebrate our 20th anniversary in Durban in 2005.

We first want to thank the 12 artists, the 13-piece band and the choirs from POPCRU and SADTU for agreeing to participate in this great project. We thank our strategic partners in Chissa entertainment and in particular Hugh Masekela and Irfan Gilan, as well as Gallo Record Company, without whose assistance this project would have not taken off the ground. In particular I want to thank Sipho Sithole and many others at Gallo who worked such long hours to ensure that we have the product today.

Our special thanks to Johnnic Communication, in particular its CEO Connie Malusi and directors Cyril Ramaphosa and Irene Charnley. We further thank the CEO of Alexander Forbes, Mr Mike Ilsley, and Nomkhitha Nqweni of the Investment Solutions. All these individuals and institutions played key roles into ensuring that we linked up with what we consider to be strategic partners in Gallo Recording Company and Chissa Entertainment.

Lastly thanks to Mncedisi Nontsele, the COSATU Organising Secretary, who led our negotiations team in our dealings with the Gallo Recording Company and Chissa Entertainment. Thanks to the CEC of COSATU for allowing us to be Œadventurist‚ and explore. We can assure them that they will not regret it. Thanks our alliance partners and all friends in the mass democratic movement who provided us the critical muscle and support.

Now, as part of our ŒBuy local - Buy Proudly South African‚ campaign - which we will be driving during this festive season to encourage our members to buy locally produced goods - we want to smash all existing records for the sale of music albums. Every working family home should buy the CD, cassette, videos or DVD or all of them. Every proudly South African must support proudly South African culture and music.

This project is dead in the water without the most active support of our shop stewards, officials, and leaders, as well as the support of our alliance partners and friends. We call on them to kick-start the campaign through purchasing this product in mass.

Congress of South African Trade Unions
December 1, 2003

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