18 December 2021 

The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) mourns the passing of the former President of SACCAWU and Member of Parliament, Comrade Duma Nkosi. The Federation extends its deepest sympathies and best wishes to his family, friends and comrades. 

Cde. Duma had a long and illustrious history in the service of workers and the liberation movement.  This passion to serve and improve the lives of workers saw him being elected, in 1988, as President of SACCAWU, COSATU’s founding Affiliate organising workers in the retail, commercial, catering and hospitality sectors. 

He later played a key role in building the structures of the African National Congress in Thokoza and in organising the protection of those communities when they were under siege from violence in the run up to the 1994 elections.  He was deployed as part of the 20 COSATU leaders released in 1994 to serve the ANC as Members of Parliament.  

After 1994, he served as Chair of the National Assembly’s Portfolio Committee on Mineral Resources and later as Mayor of Ekhurhuleni.  In 2019 he returned to Parliament and was elected as Chair of Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Trade, Industry and Competition where he played a key role in driving the Copyright Amendment and Performers’ Protection Bill. 

Wherever he was deployed he remained a humble and hardworking servant of the people. He continued to be driven by his passion to improve the lives of workers and the poor.  Even after leaving the labour movement, he continued to use every opportunity and every platform to champion the rights of workers and be of service to the working class. 

He will be missed by all and may his soul rest in peace! 

Hamba kahle Mkhonto! 

Issued by COSATU 

Sizwe Pamla (COSATU National Spokesperson)    

Tel: 011 339 4911
Fax: 011 339 5080
Cell: 060 975 679