COSATU Free State congratulates the ANC for hosting a successful 9th Provincial Conference

The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) in the Free State congratulates our alliance partner the African National Congress (ANC), for hosting a successful 9th Provincial Congress over the past weekend. We welcome this  development as the province was amongst the last two without a duly elected Provincial Executive Committee.

We are aware of the unfortunate incidents which preceded the accreditation process and hope the movement will avoid recurrence of such in future. We call upon the newly elected leadership to intensity their efforts to build principled unity amongst the structures and the members of the movement across the province.

Whilst the Federation welcomes the significance of this development, the province cannot afford time for parties and celebrations as there is a huge backlog to address in terms changing the lives of our people. The situation in municipalities particularly in Maluti-A-Phofung, Kopanong, Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality, Mafube demands urgent and decisive action from the movement. There needs to be decisive steps taken to restore trust between the ANC and the community and/or voters.

The newly elected leadership should also focus on providing services to our people and most importantly, protecting the workers and the vulnerable. The urgent need to turn around the economic trajectory of the province cannot be overemphasized. We cannot continue to have former homelands in the province remaining as labour reserve camps almost three decades after the democratic breakthrough. The leadership needs to move with speed to turn this tide. Our people need jobs, and the ANC as the governing party has a responsibility to create decent jobs whilst creating a conducive environment for private sector to also create decent jobs!

We congratulate the incoming leadership and wish them well.

The struggle continues!

Issued by COSATU Free State

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