It looks like the newly formed uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP) is coming for everything. Last week, the controversial party announced the formation of a teacher's union affiliated to the organisation. The party which has been on the firing spree, even before making it to Parliament, launched a civic organisation called Progressive Civics Congress yesterday. According to the party spokesperson Nhlamulo Ndhlela, Progressive Civics Congress is a new civic organisation that is affiliated to the party and has been endorsed by Zuma, traditional leaders and business leaders.

THE TEACHER'S UNION

Over and above that they have launched a teacher's union. The announcement was made through a media statement by the MK Party Interim coordinator Mbuyiseni Mathonsi on Friday. Mathonsi is the former Sadtu KwaZulu-Natal secretary who was dismissed by the union after being charged with undermining and defying his superiors in the SACP. Mathonsi announced that the MK Party approved the formation of their first union called the Congress of the National Education Teachers Union (Conetu). Mathonsi said that the union has begun the work organising teachers under its banner. "It will be the vanguard to advance the interests of teachers across the length and breadth of the country. You will recall that the last time any government sector employee received a two-digit percentage wage increase was during the last year President Jacob Zuma was in the Union Building," he said. Mathonsi added that after Zuma was unceremoniously removed from office, government workers including teachers, are given wage increases of 2% with the approval of the ruling party affiliated labour unions.

DOUBLE DIGIT INCREASE

Mathonsi further said the party has given orders to organise workers into genuinely sovereign and independent unions affiliated to the MK Party and Conetu to ensure the return of double-digit increase for teachers as the first program of action. "MKP members and volunteers and supporters are therefore called upon to assist in the organising of progressive teachers under the banner of Conetu and take back their sovereignty." he said.