The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) in  Free State is shocked but not surprised by the conduct of some deployees of the ANC in Dihlabeng Municipality which led to the emergence of a Speaker from the Opposition party despite the fact that the ANC has majority Councillors.

After the passing of the former speaker in Dihlabeng,the journey was not easy to find a replacement amongst the Councillors of the movement. This has always been surprising as all these councillors are deployees of the movement. All of them have been given one and only one mandate to improve the lives of our people. If all the deployees were genuine then the struggle should not have happened in the first place. This just goes to show that there are now differences of view and of interpretations of their mandate!

The emergence of the Speaker of Council elected from the opposition benches whilst the movement is in power and in majority came as a shock to us. The deployees there have collectively and individually redefined the new era of factional battles within and amongst the deployees of the movement.

We are not surprised due to the fact that the current administration since day one has been attacking COSATU members and leaders within the employ of the Municipality.

We have observed the sharpening of contradictions reaching new levels when the issues there were redefined as issues against a specific gender which is in power. Clearly the battle lines are drawn, and we may be in for a protracted struggle between factions, whilst service delivery to pour people is relegated to the end of the line. As COSATU Free State, we condemn with the strongest possible terms that self-serving attitude of some in the Council.

We call on our alliance partner to intervene urgently in Dihlabeng Municipality to correct the situation there, and to resolve political and factional issues in the Municipality. We remember all too well our members who were security guards who were dismissed unceremoniously after the change of the administration. The matter has been on the table of the leadership of the movement to date!

We further call on the ANC to be on the side of the toiling masses at all times and not to protect the individual(s) at the cost of the masses!

Issued by COSATU Free State

Enquiries Provincial Secretary Monyatso oa Mahlatsi @ 051 447 5499 or 076 115 9923