South Africa Dockers Stop Israeli Ship

Israeli Shipping Line Zim Tries To Sneak Into South

African Port For Offloading Cargo-Thwarted by SATAWU Dockers

 

 http://www.cosatu.org

 

 Victory for Worker Solidarity

 

 Issued by Congress of  South African Trade Unions

(Cosatu) and Palestine Solidarity Committee (PSC)

 February 6, 2009

 

 http://www.cosatu.org.za/press/2009/feb/press13.htm

 

 The Congress of South African Trade Union is pleased

 to announce that its members, dock workers belonging

 to the South African Transport and Allied Workers

 Union (SATAWU) achieved a victory last night when they

 stood firm by their decision not to offload the

 Johanna Russ, a ship that was carrying Israeli goods

 to South Africa. This, despite threats to COSATU

 members from sections of the pro-Israeli lobby, and

 despite severe provocation.

 

 The Johanna Russ, flying an Antigua flag, is owned by

 M. Dizengoff and Co., an established "pioneer of the

 modern era of shipping business in the Middle East"

 and shipping agent for the ironically named Zim Israel

 Navigation Company. (Ironic because, last year, the

 same SATAWU members refused to offload the Chinese

 ship An Yue Jiang, which was carrying arms and

 ammunition destined for Robert Mugabe's army.)

 

 The worker action last night took place despite

 attempted subterfuge on the part of the owners of the

 shipping company. There was an attempt to confound the

 plan by arriving earlier than originally scheduled,

 which was 8 February. Dates for the berthing of the

 Johanna Russ were changed constantly. Yesterday

 morning, SATAWU members were told that the ship would

 dock this morning (Friday) at 02:00. Thanks to the

 vigilance of the dock workers, SATAWU discovered that

 the ship had docked on Wednesday morning and was due

 to be offloaded last night at 21:00. But the vigilant

 workers were on guard and immediately they realised

 that it had docked, they then refused to handle it,

 despite pressures from management. SATAWU members

 maintained their refusal to offload the ship and also

 attempted to ensure that scab labour would not be used.

 

 A few hours after berthing, at 23:00, the Johanna Russ

 sneaked out of the Durban Harbour.

 

 From the beginning of this action, COSATU workers

 remained resolute about their position and were

 convinced that, following the recent Israeli massacres

 in Gaza, they will take determined action against

 Israel. Israel's terror included flagrant breaches of

 international law, the bombing of densely populated

 neighbourhoods, the illegal deployment of chemical

 white phosphorous, and attacks on schools, ambulances,

 relief agencies, hospitals, universities and places of worship.

 

 COSATU has now decided to intensify its efforts in

 support of the struggles of the Palestinian people.

 The worker victory in Durban yesterday spurs COSATU

 members on to more determined action in order to

 isolate the Apartheid state of Israel. Other Cosatu

 unions are currently in discussion about how they

 might also give effect to Cosatu resolutions on

 boycotts, divestment and sanctions against Israel,

 including a refusal to handle Israeli goods, and

 continuing pressure on our government to sever

 diplomatic and trade relations with Israel.

 

 The momentum against apartheid Israel has become an

 irresistible force. We are proud to stand with the

 millions around the world who say 'Enough is enough'.

 They are doing what we asked them to do when we faced

 the apartheid regime in our own country.

 

 COSATU and the PSC call on all people of conscience to

 join us in boycotting Israeli products and

 institutions until a just, democratic state, with

 equal rights for all comes into existence in

 Palestine. This is just the beginning of a solidarity

 campaign which will continue until the demands of the

 Palestinian people have been won.

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