6th COSATU Limpopo Provincial Congress Declaration

  1. We, the 6th COSATU Limpopo Provincial Congress, held on the 10th – 11th February 2022 at the Bolivia Lodge and Conference Centre in Polokwane, represented by 545  delegates from 16 affiliates  and 27 newly refreshed and functional locals with a new kid on the block (Vaalwater Local) carrying on our shoulders the aspirations and hopes of no less than 128 000  members, multitudes of working people and generally the working class of our province.
  2. Our Congress was joined by our alliance partners and international guests from the Embassy of Palestine, her Excellency Ambassador Hanan Jarrar, a solidarity message from the Zimbabwean Congress of Trade Unions, social partners and families of our departed Martyrs (Mark Shope, Timson Musetsho, Ronald Mani, Valtyn Kekana and Ralph Kanyane).
  3. Congress guided by our Theme “Deepen the back to basics Campaign, Consolidate the Struggle for NDR and Advance the Struggle for Socialism.’  

Context

  • Congress took place under conditions characterized by changing global power balances and geopolitical tensions.
  • COVID-19 inspired capitalist crisis that continues to deepen economic crisis   whilst driving down standards of living and the livelihoods of millions of our people throughout the world
  • The resurgence of military coups dotted with migration and social tensions  in Africa as well as South Africa besieged  by an existential threat to our nascent democracy occasioned by the deviation from our historic perspective by forces coalescing around the so called RET seeking to capture our liberation movement and it is within this context that we declare;

On Political   

  • Congress note with dismay the inability of the people’s movement to provide strategic political direction and leadership to the broader forces of change due to entrenched factionalism, corruption, internal divisions and outright ill-discipline from its leaders hell bent on ensuring that unity, renewal and   rejuvenation of the movement will not see the light of the day. This is do in order to protect state capture , corruption and looting.
  • Congress further reaffirmed its commitment to work tirelessly to protect the gains of post-Nasrec perspective towards the 55th National Congress by strengthening working class / progressive perspectives and assist our Party and other mass democratic movements within the context of reconfigured alliance in the upcoming Congress to realise the objectives of the national democratic revolution as a minimum program towards our socialist reality.  
  • Congress further reaffirm its vigilance towards ANC Provincial Congress scheduled for June 2022 to ensure that it contributes towards intensifying the programme of renewal and unity of our movement by not supporting individuals who are tainted by corruption allegations to be elected into the ANC Provincial Executive Committee.

On Organisational 

  1. Congress is also encouraged by the relative stability within our affiliates and locals in our province and commit to work extremely hard to service our membership through our affiliates
  2.  To give support to our 2 remaining affiliates (CEPPWAWU and SATAWU) that are not in good standing so that we can achieve a more Coherent, Vibrant, Militant, and united federation capable of fighting workplace struggles for the workers and for the working class.
  3. Congress reaffirms the threat posed by tyranny conspired by our government and some in the corporate space to erode the sanctity of our hard-won collective bargaining rights and system represented by an alliance between the ruling class and some tendencies within our state which threatens the existence and stability of our affiliates
  4. Congress also resolves to strengthen our affiliates through embarking on workplaces struggles to fight arrogant employers, defending our members,  embark on membership recruitment and servicing.

On socio economic

  1. We as this Congress declare and reaffirm to leave no stone unturned in fighting massive retrenchments, poor quality jobs, low incomes, unsafe and hazardous working conditions as well as disease burden and gender-based violence as a building block towards building a capable and humane state to ameliorate social ills inherent within the capitalist mode of production towards our forward march to socialism.
  2. COSATU declare to work extremely hard to campaign for the implementation of Basic Income Grant to replace COVID 19 grant
  3. That we will continue to engage our state and the alliance to agitate against the mandatory vaccination whilst encouraging our workers to take the jab to accelerate herd immunity in our country in order to open the economy without abandoning our struggles for a living wage built upon the foundation of our agreed minimum wage applicable.
  4. Congress is further dismayed by the indecisiveness of the #THUMAMINA detachment by not acting with necessary speed to hound out those who benefitted from state capture and corruption.
  5. We as the 6th COSATU Limpopo Provincial Congress still reaffirm our unconditional and unwavering support to the working class inspired campaign against crime and corruption both in public and private sectors
  6. That we vow to continue supporting and work side by side with our alliance partners, MDM, civil society and the families of the fallen martyrs – Timson Musetsho, Ronald Mani, Valtyn Kekana and Ralph Nkanyane to fight for justice and ensure that their killers and masterminds are eventually imprisoned.

On International 

  • Congress declares to work extra hard to reorient our struggles to build a global system of governance guided by our tried and tested principles of working class internationalism, anti-imperialism as well as working class unity and solidarity.
  • That we must roll back geopolitical tensions between USA and China with Russia on one hand and whilst supporting our friends in Cuba, Saharawi, Venezuela and Palestine on the other.

Elected Leadership

  •  Lastly, the 6th COSATU Limpopo Provincial Congress elected the following Provincial Office Bearers for the next three year term of office:
  • Provincial Chairperson                    : Cde Ester Mokoele
  • Provincial Deputy Chairperson        : Cde Hangwani Mashao
  • Provincial Treasurer                       : Cde Mike Manganye
  • Provincial Secretary                       : Cde Gerald Mkhomazi Twala   

Issued by COSATU Limpopo

Gerald Mkhomazi Twala (Provincial Secretary)

Mark Shope House

79A Biccard Street

Polokwane

0700

Mobile: 071 587 2872/076 522 8864

E-Mail: gerald@cosatu.org.za