Published: 13 Aug 2014
Delegates have gathered top pay tribute to Nelson Mandela at the 43rd ITF Congress in Sofia.
SATAWU General Secretary Zenzo Mahlangu hosted the event, which paid tribute to Mandela’s struggle, during which he was held for 27 years in prison before being released in 1990.
Mandela was described as a humble man who became President of South Africa from 1994-99.
Former chairman of the Danish Seamen’s Union Henrik Berlau spoke of the Maritime Unions Against Apartheid movement, which involved the DSU, two British Unions the National Union Seamen (NUS) and Transport and General Workers Union (TGWU) and Seamen’s Union of Australia (SUA), which led from the front on the oil embargo against the brutal Apartheid regime.
Maritime Union of New Zealand National Secretary Joe Fleetwood, Maritime Union of Australia Deputy National Secretary Mick Doleman and International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) International Secretary-Treasurer Willie Adams
Spoke of their unions role in the global struggle.
Other speakers chronicled their unions’ struggle, including Fatima Aguado (CCOO), Mohamed El Saidi, (Tunisia) and Jong In Huy (Korean Railway Workers’ Union).
