math of the shootings. The Committee of Ten drew up a blueprint for a representative Soweto citv council. it was prevented from presenting this to the people by a ban on all public gatherings The authorities responded to the apparently endless violence of the oppressed with their customary ferocity. More and more blacks were arrested under the various laws empowering the police to detain people without trial. In August 1976, 110 young ween the ages of 12 and 25 victed of public violence at Hammerskraal. iust north ot Pretoria. three of those arrested were males, females. Young women actively in all phases of the revolt. July, one press report referred to 280 schoolgirls on the rampage'.
movement 6l to nerv 47| black unions organised in black unions 670,000 by 1983. dip, 1977, the combativity of the workers began to soar again. figures not people bet- coal, Fiftyparticipated the country.
In The black organised in THE GROWTH of the black trade union movement in South Africa has given increased confidence to the developing struggle against the apartheid regime. South Africa today has the fastest growing trade in the whole Prior to 1978, black trade unions had no formal recognition. But in that year the Wiehahn commission's report laid the basis for black union recognition. Between 1980 and 1983 the number of registered black unions rose from under and unregistered increased Trom 170 to vited more than 270. The number of workers , went UD Di 200 per cent - from 220,000 in 1980 to The ruling National Party hoped that by bringing black unions within the framework of industrial law they would be able to exercise a tight control over them. But they have been unsuccessful, in curbing the militancy of the unions. This is illustrated by the table.
This shows that after a temporary ditions.
black These include the massive hugely strikes in the goldfields last year, nor we unportant strike in we stalt Owltu Sasol plant, which produces oil from in November 1984. This strike, bonds the first mass action in a state-owned enterprise, mobilised about a million workers and constitutes the most important political strike in the history of unions mainly federations: The Hederation of South African Unions (FOSATU) and the Council of Unions The three outside the Federations are the General Workers' Union (GWU), the Food and Canning system.
No of disputes Workers' Union (FCWU), and the South African Allied Workers' Union (SAAWU) three of whose leaders among those facing charges.
It is significant that Soweto has been chosen as the pace where tni unions will be meeting this week in an attempt to forge unity. Iney will de discussing a draft constitution for a wider federation of black trade unions. Unions already committed in principle to unification, whose represenMare nelped to drall te con stitution, are FOSATU, CUSA, GWU and FCWU. The two other unions into the talks, SAAWU GAWU, will haye to refer back to their constituent bodies so no early solution is expected. But the Soweto talks will set the scene for greater unity.
The black trade unions are now playing a bigger part in the political campaigns against the regime. In the first years of their existence the black unions saw their first task building of support by concentrating on improving wages and working conFOSATU and CUSA joined with the UDF and AZAPO in calling the successful two-day home strike last November. The death Andries Kaditse g.
Fosatu leader, shortly after his release from police detention, increased the between political movements. The unions also played their full part in the anti-election campaign last August.
October of this year has been set as the target date for the unitication of the trade unions into a single federation. This will undoubtedly give a great filip to the process of drawing more workers into their ranks and increasing the role of the organised black working class in struggle against the apartheid Black workers on strike 98,029 58,975 23,295 26,931 15,091 14,088 17,323 56,286 84,705 141,517 64,469 treason Riot police in central Cape Town as the stay-at-
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STRIKES BY BLACK WORKERS 1973-1983