The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) held a meeting of its Central Executive Committee (CEC) from 24 to 26 February, setting the tone for the year it will celebrate 40years of its existence on 1 December. COSATU will mark this historic occasion with a series of events and activities throughout the year culminating in a rally at a stadium in December 2025.
This year also marks the 70th anniversary of COSATU’s predecessor, the South African Congress of Trade Unions (SACTU). Established in March 1955, SACTU made a declaration at its first conference in 1956 that the fight for economic and political rights were inseparable. A commemoration in honour SACTU’s legacy and its contribution to workers’ rights, social justice, and the anti-apartheid struggle, will be held at Liliesleaf on 5 March.
This is also the year COSATU provinces hold their Congresses. So far, Free State and North West have held their Gender and Provincial Congresses, with the Northern Cape’s currently underway. Six more provinces are to follow suit.
The first day of the CEC saw it give audience to a delegation of the South African Communist Party (SACP) led by General Secretary Solly Mapaila, to expound on the resolution of its 5th Special National Congress to contest the 2026 local government election on its own ticket, alongside our mutual ally, the African National Congress. The Federation will undertake further discussions internally including convene a Special CEC in April 2025, our September Central Committee in September 2025 and with both the SACP and the ANC on the modalities for the 2026 local elections, including ensuring the Federation provides its full support to its Alliance partners.
The highlight of the second day of the CEC was the launch of the Federation’s Call Centre at its headquarters in Braamfontein. The initiative is a partnership with Rand Mutual Assurance (RMA) and aims to help workers resolve a variety of challenges including non-compliant employers who do not pay pension fund or UIF contributions; obstacles while claiming benefits from UIF or the Compensation Fund; and dissatisfaction with the quality of service they receive from their trade unions. The Call Centre is open to both members of COSATU affiliated unions and unorganised workers in line with the Federation’s commitment to fight for and defend the rights of all workers.
Leading up to Budget Day on 19 February, COSATU unequivocally rejected Treasury’s mooted 2% VAT increase as it certainly would have burdened to working-class households who are heavily indebted, battling to survive with the rising cost of living and whose paltry wages have not kept pace with inflation. The tabling of Budget speech was ultimately postponed to 12 March as opposition to the VAT hike gathered momentum. As it did on 19 February, COSATU will once again demonstrate outside Parliament on 12 March to cement its stance against the VAT or any personal income tax increase on low-income earners, and to call on government to abandon its obsession with austerity budget cuts, capacitate the state and ensure it has the resources it needs, stimulate growth and slash the shockingly high 41.9% unemployment rate. Critically, Treasury must give SARS the R3 billion it seeks to raise the tax compliance rate from 64% to 67%, as well as removing tax loopholes that benefit the wealthy, and by so doing collect the R60 billion shortfall the fiscus desperately needs.
The Federation will stage a picket at the North Gauteng High Court on 4 and 5 March in solidarity with the Department of Health in defence of the implementation of the NHI.
Appallingly, the death of the 14 brave members of the South African Defence Force in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) can be linked directly to austerity budget cuts that have left the defence force without adequate resources, exposed its personnel to harm and its injured not tended to. At the height of its success, Denel was counted among the world’s best producers of military equipment, both aerospace and land. Like other state-owned enterprises, it was gutted during the decade of state capture. Now, just like Eskom, Transnet, Metrorail, SABC, etc. Denel needs to be resourced, rebuilt and placed on a path to full recovery.
COSATU welcomes Treasury’s R150 million injection to the South African Post Office (SAPO). It will provide much needed relief to employees who have had to endure extended periods without pay in the past few years. It is crucial that Treasury transfer the remaining funds as per court sanctioned R3.8 billion business rescue package, enabling the implementation of SAPO and Post Bank turnaround plan that will see it appoint competent management, rid itself of corrupt elements, help it enter the lucrative courier sector and become a one-stop shop where members of the public can apply for different government services. Also enable Postbank to comply with the requirements to become a fully licensed consumer bank.
Noting how the perception of the mere possibility of corruption is proving an impediment to critical and progressive initiatives such as the National Health Insurance, the Federation has decided to infuse anti-corruption into every campaign it tackles. Anti-corruption will form an essential part of every programme going forward.
For the longest time COSATU has been calling for the restructuring and modernisation of the Unemployment Insurance Fund given the challenges workers encounter when dealing with the fund, including non-payment of benefits for pregnant women, workers who did not receive their TERS payments during Covid-19 lockdown even though they had applied, snaking queues at labour centres, etc. The Federation has previously called for the fund to be put under administration. If government fails to act on reiterated calls to fix the UIF, COSATU will have no choice but to launch sustained mass action to force the UIF’s cleansing and modernisation.
COSATU has welcomed Minister of Employment and Labour Makhosazana Meth’s plan to increase the number of labour inspectors tenfold from 2 000 to 20 000 in the medium-term. An advertisement calling for applications for the first 10 000 has already been published. The young people selected will not only be trained and acquire critical skills that will ensure a pathway to permanent employment but will also boost the work of the inspectorate who are currently overwhelmed by the sheer amount of work given they service an economy of tens of millions of workers. The Federation intends to increase the number of joint workplace inspections in collaboration with the department.
In engagements with the Ministry for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs since early January, COSATU and its Affiliate, the South African Municipal Workers Union (SAMWU) were able to halt the termination of contracts of 67 000 participants of the Community Works Programme aged 55 and above. As a result of this intervention funds were secured to pay the participants salaries from January to March 2025. Further engagements are taking place to ensure these public employment programmes are overhauled to ensure they offer participants the skills, training and experience needed to find jobs not only in the economy of today but also the jobs of the future. SAMWU has always maintained that CWP participants should be absorbed into the various municipalities as full-time employees.
Turning its focus to international matters, the CEC called for a dedicated analysis of the situation in the DRC to deepen our understanding of the issues and South Africa’s role in it. The Federation is also set to revive contact with the trade union movement in the DRC as part of its international solidarity campaign. A proactive stance towards solidarity with eSwatini, Cuba and Palestine is also maintained.
The Federation has noted the latest headlines that a delegation from Afriforum is once again meeting with officials from the United States’ administration. COSATU reiterates its stance and stands firmly behind President Cyril Ramaphosa and government in defence of South Africa’s sovereignty and values. No external party can be allowed to dictate to the people of South Africa their path to a better life for all. South Africa’s values are reflected in our foreign policy anchored upon the principles of peace and justice, solidarity and development, non-alignment and African unity.
Issued by COSATU
Zanele Sabela (National Spokesperson)
Mobile: 079 287 5788
Email: zaneles@cosatu.org.za