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Independent Liberation & Allied Workers Union, 150 Corner Commissioner & Von Weiligh Street, Johannesburg (2026)

18/03/2026

Media Statement
For Immediate Release

ILAWU Condemns Bombing of Girls’ School in Iran; Calls for Independent Investigation and Accountability

The Independent & Allied Workers Union (ILAWU) unequivocally condemns the brutal bombing of a girls’ school in Iran, an attack that reportedly killed more than 170 young students.

This act—if confirmed—amounts to a grave violation of international law and a moral atrocity. These were defenceless children—students sitting in classrooms, pursuing their education and dreaming of futures that have been violently taken from them.

Preliminary reports from international human rights organizations, including Amnesty International, have raised serious and credible concerns about responsibility for this attack. We call for caution in assigning blame until a full, transparent, and independent investigation establishes the facts. If those indications are confirmed, the perpetrators must be held accountable to the fullest extent under international law.

ILAWU condemns, in the strongest possible terms, the killing of innocent children under any circumstances. The bombing of a school can never be justified—no political agenda, military objective, or geopolitical interest can excuse the slaughter of young girls.

We reject patterns of impunity in which the lives of civilians, particularly children in the Global South, are treated as expendable. Justice must be impartial and universal; human rights cannot be conditional.

In solemn solidarity with the families and communities affected, ILAWU will lay flowers at the Iranian Embassy as a gesture of remembrance and resolve. This act symbolizes our commitment to bearing witness and to demanding justice.

We call on the international community to:

- Ensure a full, transparent, and independent investigation into the attack
- Hold those responsible accountable without fear or favour
- Strengthen and uphold protections for civilians—especially women and children—in all conflicts

The blood of innocent children demands justice. Their memory demands accountability. Humanity demands that this never happen again.

Issued by:
Independent Liberation & Allied Workers Union (ILAWU)

11/04/2025

The ILAWU is dedicated to advocating for the rights of workers. The employees at JOSHCO have devoted 7 years, and in some cases even more - initially part of the EPWP program with JOSCHO, they have been transferred between contractors multiple times over the years.

ILAWU to picket at JOSHCO offices after numerous unsuccessful attempts to arrange a meeting with the CEO, Ms. Nokwazi Mtshali and the MMC, Mabasa.

The picket is scheduled to take place on the following dates:

Date: April 14th and 15th, 2025 (Monday & Tuesday)
Venue: Joshco, 61 Juta Street, Braamfontein, Johannesburg

Our primary goal is to advocate for permanent employment for these workers.

For more information, please contact:

Thapelo Mafa
ILAWU President
Cell: +27 83 748 9470

21/03/2025

The Independent Liberation and Allied Workers Union (ILAWU) extends warm wishes to all South Africans on the occasion of Human Rights Day, celebrated on the 21st of March.

It is important to recognize that human rights are intrinsically linked to workers' rights.

25/02/2025

Media Statement
For Immediate Release

ILAWU Statement on the Gauteng State of the Province Address

25 February 2025

The Independent Liberation and Allied Workers Union (ILAWU) wishes to address the Gauteng State of the Province Address delivered by Premier Panyaza Lesufi on the 24th of February 2025.

ILAWU is disappointed by the lack of substance in Premier Lesufi's address, which once again failed to provide concrete implementation plans and clear timelines for the promises made. This recurring trend of unfulfilled commitments erodes the trust and hopes of the people of Gauteng.

ILAWU acknowledges Premier Panyaza Lesufi's accurate identification of the challenges facing the province, including issues such as unreliable water supply, high crime rates, underfunded education, a struggling healthcare system, electricity shortages, and rising unemployment, we are dismayed by the absence of genuine, transformative solutions in his address.

The 2025 State of the Province Address (SOPA) was characterized by recycled promises, superficial interventions, and misplaced priorities that do not address the urgent needs of our province.

Regarding healthcare, Lesufi's proposals to reduce queues, implement paperless hospitals, and improve queue management are unrealistic given the understaffing in our hospitals. The suggestion of an Uber-like transport system for medication raises questions about funding sources.

Additionally, while Lesufi claims that surgical backlogs have been cleared, the reality in our hospitals paints a different picture, with shortages of equipment and frozen positions severely impacting surgical units.

ILAWU urges the Gauteng government to move beyond rhetoric and deliver tangible solutions that will truly uplift the people of our province. The time for empty promises is over; action is needed to address the pressing challenges facing Gauteng.

ILAWU advocates for a shift towards a developmental state that actively engages in the economy. It is imperative to embark on a deliberate initiative to reindustrialize Gauteng and establish it as a hub of productivity for the nation. This entails investing in production and manufacturing infrastructure, bolstering local industries, and leveraging state assets to propel economic transformation. By preserving and enhancing public assets, the state can cultivate a robust economy that benefits all citizens, rather than resorting to asset sales for short-term financial relief.

The residents of Gauteng must persist in rejecting a government that consistently falls short of their expectations. Despite the ANC government's annual grandiose plans, the harsh reality persists - inadequate electricity, water shortages, job scarcity, lack of security, and a bleak future for the youth. Premier Lesufi's State of the Province Address was merely a compilation of hollow promises that will not bring tangible improvements to the lives of ordinary individuals. ILAWU stands as the sole workers' union dedicated to economic emancipation, the permanent absorption of all Expanded Public Works Programme participants, and effective crimea prevention strategies. The era of empty pledges is over. Gauteng merits better, and ILAWU, will hold the government accountable in the legislature and advocate for the permanent employment of all EPWPs within the Department of Health, who have diligently served the department for over 17 years under precarious contract terms. It is time to grant EPWPs permanent employment status!

For media inquiries, please contact:

Thapelo Mafa
[ILAWU President]
Cell: +27 83 748 9470

Siphamandla Masimula
[ILAWU Secretary]
Cell: +27 82 071 5310

25/02/2025

Media Statement
For Immediate

"GWAMANDA FREE AT LAST" - ILAWU

Tuesday, February 25, 2025

The Independent Liberation and Allied Workers Union (ILAWU) applauds the decision made by the Protea Glen Magistrates Court to find Former Executive Mayor Kabelo Gwamanda not guilty of the alleged fraud charges.

ILAWU views the judgment as a just and appropriate ruling, as the court determined that the State failed to provide sufficient evidence to prove the fraud charges against Gwamanda beyond a reasonable doubt. The court highlighted numerous discrepancies and contradictions in the testimonies of the state witnesses, leading to the acquittal of Gwamanda.

ILAWU has consistently maintained that certain groups, led by individuals such as the leader of ActionSA and Mpho Phalatse, have been using the judiciary system to wage a political battle against Al Jama-Ah and its leadership. ILAWU sees this verdict as a vindication of its stance.

ILAWU welcomes the conclusion of this challenging chapter in Gwamanda's life and calls upon the current Executive Mayor, Dada Morero, to reinstate Former Executive Mayor Cllr Kabelo Gwamanda as the MMC without any conditions. This decision will help restore Gwamanda's reputation and allow him to continue serving the community effectively.

For media inquiries, please:

Thapelo Mafa
[ILAWU President]
Cell: +27 83 748 9470

Siphamandla Masimula
[ILAWU Secretary]
Cell: +27 82 071 5310

14/01/2025

Al Jama-Ah President, Deputy Minister Ganief Hendricks has often emphasized the transformative power of education.

One of his notable quotes is:

“Education is the cornerstone of a prosperous society. It is through education that we can uplift communities, eradicate poverty, and build a future where every individual has the opportunity to thrive.”

This reflects Independent Liberation and Allied Workers Union (ILAWU), and Al Jama-Ah's commitment to ensuring equitable access to education for all South Africans.

27/12/2024

Today, 27th of December 2024, Friday, the Independent Liberation & Allied Workers Union (ILAWU) held a memorial service for one of its own, Cadre Katlego Makgobe "KayGee" who passed away on the 22nd of December after a long sickness.

He was celebrated with utmost respect and love by ILAWU members and leaders. KayGee will forever remain in our hearts. The champion of the marginalised workers. KayGee will be buried at his home in Limpopo on Tuesday, the 31st of December 2024.

24/12/2024

The Independent Liberation & Allied Workers Union (ILAWU) and Al Jama Ah, has lost a soldier of the EPWPs, a ground warrior.

Join us on the 27th of December 2024, Friday, as we pay special tribute to our brother in struggle for permanent absorption, Katlego "KG" Makgobe. His memorial service will be held in Freedom Park, Soweto.

See a poster below for more information:

Robala ka Khutso, Mokgalaka!

22/11/2024

ILAWU Statement
For Immediate Release

22 November 2024

ICC WARRANTS OF ARREST

The Independent Liberation and Allied Workers Union (ILAWU) welcomes the decision by the International Criminal Court (ICC) to issue arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, and Hamas military commander Mohammed Diab Ibrahim Al-Masri, aka Mohammed Deif.

While the Netanyahu and Gallant warrants will likely not lead to their arrests, or an immediate ceasefire, the fact they have been issued is important for the following reasons:

1. They represent an important riposte to the impunity with which Israel has been carrying out its genocide under cover of US protection at the United Nations (according to Israel, Deif is already dead); and
2. They will force the suppliers of arms to Israel that have been used to carry out the genocide, principally the US and Germany, to confront the immorality of arming a nation which according to the ICC is led by a war criminal.

The warrants are also of symbolic importance to the ICC, itself, as it is the first time the court has acted against alleged war criminals that the West regards as friends.

Regrettably, however, the enforcement of ICC warrants of arrest have been reduced to political decisions, whether countries are signatories to the Rome Statute, which created the court, or not. South Africa’s failure to effect the arrest of Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir while he was in the country in 2015 contributed to this malaise.

Ignoring our own obligations under international law makes it very difficult for South Africa to insist others abide by ICC decisions.

ILAWU has supported and encouraged the South African government’s application to the International Court of Justice to have the devastation of Gaza declared a genocide in terms of the Genocide Convention. That judgement, too, will rely on the political will of nations to adhere to their international obligations.

What all of this tells us is that the world’s systems to hold nation states accountable are broken.

The ICC’s arrest warrants were issued a day after the US used its veto at the UN, for the fourth time, to block a resolution calling for ceasefire in Gaza. Because of the UN’s archaic structure, although the US was outvoted 15-1, its veto prevailed and the war continues…

What’s good for the goose in international law has to be equally good for the gander.

Nation states that veto UN Security Council decisions, facilitating genocide, or who ignore ICJ and ICC rulings, are complicit, and there should be a mechanism to join them as co-accused.

ILAWU welcomes the ICC warrants because every confirmation that violations of international law are taking place in Gaza – even if unenforceable in law – will eventually contribute to swaying opinions and ending the genocide.

We reiterate our call for an immediate ceasefire, and for sovereignty for the State of Palestine.

Issued by ILAWU - NCC

22/10/2024

[Read] ILAWU Civil Rights Movement cautions the CoJ EM, Cde Dada Morero against subjecting Al Jama-AH deployees to MyANC (ANC's) step aside rule

22 October 2024

20/10/2024

ILAWU Statement on the Court Appearance by Cllr Gwamanda,

14/10/2024

The Independent Liberation and Allied Workers Union (ILAWU) supports the progressive move of renaming Sandton drive to Leila Khaled drive.

This revolutionary move comes after a City of Johannesburg Municipality's council resolution in 2018, when Al Jama-Ah political party raised the motion, which was supported by the ANC and seconded by the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) in a council.

The renaming of streets and public spaces are a strategic move to rewrite our important history, especially of the heroes and heroins who played a pivotal role towards supporting the struggle against the former oppressive system of Apartheid, directly and/ or indirectly.

Leila Khaled still remains a living imbodiement of women's integral participation against liberation struggle for Palestinians and the ongoing human rights violation in Palestine.

ILAWU would like to urge the MMC for Community Development in the City of Johannesburg Municipality, Cllr Kabelo Gwamanda to assist us as the community and residents of the City to decolonise our public spaces and project a clear vision of a liberated state.

Independent Liberation & Allied Workers Union

18/03/2026

11/04/2025

21/03/2025

25/02/2025

25/02/2025

14/01/2025

27/12/2024

24/12/2024

22/11/2024

22/10/2024

20/10/2024

14/10/2024

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