Reaksie van die swart politieke organisasies in Suid-Afrika op die arbeidswetgewing van die Pakt-regering, 1924-1929 (Afrikaans)

Abstract

Afrikaans : Vanaf 1924 tot 1926 het die Pakt-regering gepoog om die posisie van blanke werkers deur middel van wetgewing te verskans. Die wetgewing sou egter ten nadele van swart werkers strek. As gevolg van die regeringsbeleid van ‘beskaafde arbeid’ was dit vir swartes onmoontlik om soos blankes, op ‘’n minimum loon aan te dring en te staak ten einde hoër salarisse te beding. Voorts is sekere poste vir blankes alleen gereserveer en is swartes afgedank om vir blanke werkers plek te maak. Swart werkers, en by name die organisasies wat hulle vir die belange van die swart gemeenskap beywer het, het nie die 'beskaafde arbeidsbeleid' bloot passief aanvaar nie. Die Industrial and Commercial Workers' Union, die African National Congress, die Gesamentlike Rade en die Kommunistiese Party van Suid-Afrika het algar georganiseerde versetaksies teen die arbeidswetgewing geloods. Die Pakt-regering het bykans geen ag op swart verset geslaan nie. Waar die Pakt tydens sy bewindname in 1924 met optimisme begroet is, was die regering gevolglik in 1929 ongewild by die swart bevolking. English : Between 1924 and 1926 the Pact Government attempted to safeguard the position of white labourers. Its legislation was, however, detrimental to the position of black labourers. As a result of the policy of 'civilized labour' it became almost impossible for black labourers to insist on a minimum wage or to strike in order to obtain higher wages. Furthermore, certain categories of jobs were reserved for whites only and blacks were replaced by whites. Black labourers and, in particular, those organizations that worked for the benefit of the black community, did not merely accept the policy of 'civilised labour' in a passive way. The Industrial and Commercial Workers' Union, the African National Congress, the Joint Councils and the Communist Party of South Africa all launched organised resistance actions against the labour legislation. The Pact paid virtually no attention to black resistance. Whereas the Pact was welcomed with enthusiasm when it came to power in 1924, during the 1929 election it was extremely unpopular with the black people of South Africa.