The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) welcomes President Cyril Ramaphosa’s transfer of responsibilities for key State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) to their respective line function Ministries.
COSATU had called for the closure of the Ministry of Public Enterprises since 2019 and the transfer of its responsibilities to the various line function Ministries better suited to oversee the work of the affected SOEs. Eskom will now report to the Ministry for Electricity and Energy; South African Airways and Transnet to Transport; Alexkor to Mineral and Petroleum Resources; SAFCOL to Forestry, Fisheries and Environment; and Denel to Defence.
This move helps to reduce confusion when these SOEs previously had to report to multiple Ministers, to ensure greater cohesion and efficiency with SOEs having to report to one focused Minister, and to send a positive signal to society about reducing a bloated Cabinet.
It is critical that government ensure the staff of the Department of Public Enterprises are transferred without prejudice to their respective line function Departments that will now coordinate the work of the SOEs. Their capacity and expertise will be needed. The Federation supports the work of its tireless Affiliate, NEHAWU, to ensure that this is done in consultation with the affected workers and union, and that no one suffers any harm during this process. We are confident that this will happen under the dedicated leadership of NEHAWU.
Issued by COSATU
Zanele Sabela COSATU National Spokesperson)
Mobile: 079 287 5788 / 077 600 6639
Email: zanele@cosatu.org.za