By Jonk wa Mashamba
news@alexreporter.co.za
Maanda-Ashu Workers Union of South Africa (Mawusa) is determined to fight for its members.
Mawusa, in partnership with the Community Workers Program (CWP), recently celebrated marched against crime and gender-based violence in Alexandra.
Mawusa’s president, Robert Nwedo, said that his union was the only union in the country that targets the poorest of the poor.
Nwedo stated that the participants at the CWP were mostly women.
” We decided to come together to celebrate the roles that have been played by women.
“We are here to address issues of mass shooting, violent crimes, particularly in Alex and many other aspects that are developing in our society,” said Nwedo
He said they were tired of seeing workers working only two days a week. He promised that through Mawusa, the national union, they were advocating for change.
He stated that the union wanted to ensure that all workers work five days a week.
” Our role is to go and engage with our government to be considerate in terms of making sure they give these workers five days a week.
“Because now they are working two days, which is 8 days a month.”
Mawusa, which was established this year, has more than ten thousand members throughout the province.
Speaking on the sidelines of the event, councillors Adolf Marema strongly warned against female abusers.
“Women’s abusers must not find a space in our community. Wherever they are, we must squeeze them.
“We must make sure they go to jail. We must play our role to fight these beasts, these monsters, and make sure they belong to jail so that our women will feel safe.”
Activist Marema said it was imperative for women to be celebrated.
He called on men to play a vital role so that women do not feel rejected.
“Immediately when women feel vulnerable, they will start aborting their babies , they will start throwing them in the drains.”
He said that it was a societal role to support women.
” We need to ensure sure there’s restorative justice for the women that were raped in Krugersdorp, by supporting them.”
Marema refuted allegations that women were inferior to men, arguing they were stronger than men.
” That’s foolishness. Actually, women are the strongest. They are the ones that carried us for nine months in their wombs. They stand the tests of times.
” They are the ones that carry the pains to the hospital to deliver a human being into this world. You cannot do that with no strength,” he said.
When speaking about how to fight crime, Marema urged every member of the community to be a police officer.
” We are abandoning the role of being the government ourselves. We leave everything to the police to do the work.
“I think we must resume that role and start doing our job as community members and nothing will defeat us.
“If we come together in our respective streets and become police officers, I’m definitely sure we are going to win this battle.”
Thank you for helping a community of Alexander and increase their working days