By Anna Weekes
JOHANNESBURG — The British Labour government has become involved in the privatisation of South African water. Just weeks before a water privatisation contract with British transnational Biwater was to be sealed, British trade and industry minister Peter Mandelson visited South Africa.
Biwater planned to finalise a contract to run the municipality of Nelspruit's water on November 1. However, the signing was delayed by protests by the South African Municipal Workers Union (SAMWU) and the Congress of South African Trade Unions.
Mandelson insisted that he had not come to "sell privatisation to South Africa", even though one of the main aims of his visit was to push for the immediate conclusion of the contract.
The visit came as the ANC government stepped up its assault on those fighting privatisation. SAMWU has been viciously attacked by the minister of constitutional development and provincial affairs, Valli Moosa. The minister charged that the union's anti-privatisation campaign was based on "ultra-leftist" ideological leanings, and was blocking "transformation" and service delivery.
SAMWU's general secretary, Roger Ronnie, responded, "The accusation reminds one of the kind that flew around during apartheid — of a red under every bed".
The minister's claim is also the clarion call of the conservative town clerk of Nelspruit, Roelf Kotze, who accuses the union of jeopardising services. Kotze's accusations are deeply ironic considering that, three years after local government elections, he has made no effort to restructure existing human or material resources to deliver an equitable water service.
Opposition from below continues. At an Alexandra Civic Organisation workshop on October 11, it was agreed to maintain opposition to privatisation and to campaign to extend water rights to all.
A campaign has been launched to force the local authority to initiate a program to fix leaking pipes and taps, and for a "lifeline" of 50 litres of water per person per day for free.
A recent provincial congress of SAMWU endorsed the continuation of the campaign against privatisation. Nelspruit council announced on November 20 that the deal to privatise its waste and water services for the next 30 years will be finalised in the first week of December.
[Anna Weekes is media officer for SAMWU. A version of this article first appeared in the November edition of Britain's Labour Left Briefing.]