*Update* Thank you to all our members. We raised over R35,000 for Casual Workers Advice Office. One of amandla .mobi’s partners, the Casual Workers Advice Office (CWAO), had their offices looted and burnt on the night of Monday 2 September [1]. This is a major blow to an organisation that has stood side by side with casual workers to fight for dignity, by providing organising support and free legal advice. Just last year they won a Constitutional Court victory against labour brokers, to ensure better wages and benefits for workers [2].Our friends at CWAO have vowed to not let this attack stop their work. But they have lost things very important for their work like computers, printers and furniture. We have worked closely with CWAO on many important campaigns and thanks to them, we’ve secured countless victories for worker’s rights. As amandla .mobi member we can make sure our friends at CWAO continue to make an impact by chipping in R20 each here: https://www.givengain.com/cc/cwao/ or follow the work of CWAO on Facebook. If all of us give as much as we can, it will go a long way. Together we can help rebuild the CWAO office and support their work against xeno/afrophobia.

*Update* Thank you to all our members. We raised over R35,000 for Casual Workers Advice Office.

One of amandla .mobi’s partners, the Casual Workers Advice Office (CWAO), had their offices looted and burnt on the night of Monday 2 September [1]. This is a major blow to an organisation that has stood side by side with casual workers to fight for dignity, by providing organising support and free legal advice. Just last year they won a Constitutional Court victory against labour brokers, to ensure better wages and benefits for workers [2].Our friends at CWAO have vowed to not let this attack stop their work. But they have lost things very important for their work like computers, printers and furniture. We have worked closely with CWAO on many important campaigns and thanks to them, we’ve secured countless victories for worker’s rights. As amandla .mobi member we can make sure our friends at CWAO continue to make an impact by chipping in R20 each here: https://www.givengain.com/cc/cwao/ or follow the work of CWAO on Facebook. If all of us give as much as we can, it will go a long way. Together we can help rebuild the CWAO office and support their work against xeno/afrophobia.

Was Casual Workers Advice Office targeted specifically or were they simply victims of the recent looting? At this point they are not sure, but there are worrying signs. You can read CWAO’s full statement here. 

Greedy companies and government inaction has seen workers exploited and working in conditions no human-being should be in. But CWAO has stood with workers to support their fight back. They’ve taken on the abusive labour practices of multinational giants such as Heineken [3] and Pepsico [4]. This attack hasn’t only hurt CWAO, but also the Simunye Workers Forum, an assembly of workers from different companies who are hosted by CWAO. No single amandla.mobi member can replace what the Casual Workers Advice Office lost, but what we lack in individual wealth, we make up for in numbers. Let’s show what solidarity with workers can achieve. You can make a donation here, or follow CWAO on Facebook to look for ways to support their work. 

The events of the last week have left so many of us in more shock than usual. That’s why it’s more important than ever that we come together in our shared struggle for justice. Stay tuned for other campaigns we’ll be launching.

[1] Worker advice office a casualty of Joburg looting. Zoë Postman for GroundUp 4 September 2019

[2] Bye, brokers: Hello, service providers. Sarah Smit for Mail &Guardian 10 Aug 2018

[3] Heineken workers strike over ‘slavery conditions’. IOL 10 October 2018

[4] Chips are down at Simba as workers prepare to strike. Sarah Smit for the Mail & Guardian 17 Apr 2018