The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) held its first Central Executive Committee (CEC) meeting of 2026 from 23 to 25 February, immediately following its Charity Golf Day CSI programme during which the National Office Bearers headed to Limpopo, Mpumalanga and the Eastern Cape to donate school shoes and dignity bags to disadvantaged pupils in areas devasted by floods early this and last year.
Starting in 2024, COSATU has hosted a Charity Golf Challenge to help raise funds for its activities, school shoes and dignity bags for underprivileged pupils. Parents joined their children at the handover ceremonies across the three provinces and expressed their appreciation of COSATU’s efforts to restore the pupils’ dignity, enhance their school experience, confidence and wellbeing.
The last day of the CEC coincided with the tabling of the National Budget by Finance Minister Enoch Godogwana at Parliament. Regrettably, the Budget failed to respond decisively to the many dire crises facing the working class including the dangerously high unemployment rate of 41.1% and anaemic projected growth rate of 1.6% for 2026, struggling public and municipal services, state-owned enterprises (SOEs), entrenched poverty and inequality, endemic crime and corruption.
COSATU welcomes progress made in rebuilding and stabilising key SOEs. However, more must be done to support Eskom to reduce the price of electricity, return Transnet and Metro Rail to full capacity to unlock mining, manufacturing and agricultural jobs as well as to provide efficient public transport for urban workers.
The significant infrastructure investment of R1.07 trillion for energy, rail, ports, water, roads and airports will boost economic growth and create jobs over the long term. We note with disappointment the lack of turnaround plans to set Denel, the South African Broadcasting Corporation, Post Office and Postbank on the path to recovery.
The Federation is aggrieved that once again Treasury shamefully failed to adjust the SRD grant for inflation to assist its more than 8 million recipients.
The CEC noted that 2026 marks significant milestones in the country’s liberation and democratic history including 70 years since the Women’s March in 1956, affirming women’s leadership and capacity for mass mobilisation; the 50th commemoration of the Soweto Uprising, highlighting the youth as a struggle driving force; and 30 years of the 1996 Constitution that laid the foundation for our democratic freedoms including our progressive labour laws.
The CEC resolved to develop a framework for the Federation’s Affiliates to consult workers on the SACP’s 5th Special National Congress resolution to contest the Local Government Election independently. Extensive consultation is set to unfold towards the 15th National Congress when the Federation will make a considered decision.
COSATU will continue to engage both its Alliance Partners, the African National Congress and the SACP to ensure that the Alliance is radically reconfigured and strengthened, and that it is united as it heads towards the most contested local elections since 1994. This includes the modalities of the Alliance’s participation in the elections.
In keeping with the 8th Central Committee resolution to co-convene a Conference of the Left with the SACP, the CEC resolved to extend the invitation to progressive formations and left-aligned social movements with a shared socialist programme. The Conference of the Left is envisioned to provide a platform where the struggles of the working class and the poor are directly linked to the objective of advancing the National Democratic Revolution towards socialism, reaffirming the central role of working-class leadership in shaping the country’s political trajectory and reclaiming the agenda of the Alliance. To achieve this, the Federation will intensify its political and ideological education and even extend it to the masses of our people.
Organisational Priority Campaigns for the First Quarter of 2026 include:
Working with unions
COSATU is assisting newly registered unions SADSAWU and SATDWU, organising domestic workers and taxi drivers respectively, to establish their base as they operate in difficult, unregulated sectors, making bargaining and enforcement of labour legislation challenging.
Recruitment and strengthening of private sector unions
Each private sector union has identified priority sectors and companies for recruitment and organising. The CEC endorsed the consolidated recruitment plan.
Public Sector Unions
The CEC resolved that GEMS should be fixed and repositioned as a transitional
mechanism towards NHI, including consideration of sector-based schemes where
appropriate.
Fight against corruption
The CEC resolved to call for the extension of anti-corruption investigations in all government departments, emphasising accountability for both major and minor offenders.
Local Government Elections campaign
COSATU’s Local Government Election programme will unfold in four phases comprising – focus on IEC registration, worker engagement, listening campaigns and recruitment.
National Gender Conference
The Federation is set to convene its National Gender Conference from 26 to 27 March as part of the organisation’s three-year accountability cycle. The Gender Office Bearers and Structure will report on the implementation of resolutions and programmes adopted at the Gender Conference in 2022. The Conference takes place at a time of sharpened gendered inequalities in the workplace and in society, particularly for women workers, workers with disabilities and LGBTIQ+ workers.
The care economy will be at the centre of deliberations at the Gender Conference, ensuring care workers are recognised, rewarded, and represented across all spheres of society. The COSATU 40 Women 40 Years Exhibition which documents and honours women workers, organisers and leaders who shaped the Federation over four decades will also anchor the Conference. The CEC resolved to expand the project beyond the initial 40 biographies, document more stories of women leaders and have the exhibition permanently installed at COSATU House.
Rising cost of living, electricity, and water crises
CEC resolved to coordinate a Cost-of-Living Campaign, which will form part of the 21 March Mass Action called for by the ANC.
Workers’ Day
May Day celebrations will take place across all provinces with the main national celebrations being hosted in Polokwane at the Old Peter Mokaba Stadium.
Socioeconomic
National Health Insurance
The CEC also resolved to intensify COSATU’s defense of the National Health Insurance considering the onslaught of legal challenges the Act is facing and the court agreement to pause proclamation of any section of the Act pending the Constitutional Court hearings scheduled for May 2026.
The CEC welcomed the Department of Health’s militant championing the NHI. COSATU will continue to support the NHI through organised mobilisation and action and not limit engagement to policy processes only.
The CEC reaffirmed its full and unconditional support for the implementation of Phase One of the National Health Insurance (NHI) as the foundation for universal healthcare, noting progress and ongoing court challenges. The CEC resolved to align COSATU campaigns with Phase One NHI implementation, intensify mass education, and recognise public awareness as the first line of defence in protecting NHI.
The CEC tasked its Health Committee to develop a simplified COSATU NHI education document for mass education within three months.
National Dialogue
The CEC welcomed COSATU’s participation in the National Dialogue. Representing Organised Labour, the Federation makes up part of the National Dialogue Steering Committee and is currently involved in developing a roadmap to ensure each of the sectors host their own dialogues.
Parental Leave
The Constitutional Court ruling declaring parental leave as outlined in the Basic Conditions of Employment Act unconstitutional as it discriminates on basis of gender and parental role, will undoubtedly be a talking point at the National Gender Conference. According to the interim arrangement put forward by the court, parents must share the combined four months and 10 days equally. COSATU’s engagements at Nedlac have ensured that mothers who gave birth will continue to be entitled to six weeks to recuperate before returning to work.
Community Health Workers
The CEC welcomed the ongoing absorption of Community Health Workers across provinces as permanent employees of the Department of Health, marking a momentous victory for the National Education, Health and Allied Workers Union (NEHAWU), as it waged a relentless struggle and won.
The South African Municipal Workers Union (SAMWU) is commended for securing overdue salary increases for municipal workers in Tshwane.
ANC’s 10-point Action Plan
COSATU remains deeply concerned by government’s GAIN strategy and the ANC’s 10-point Action Plan. The Federation is concerned it may see an entrenchment of neoliberal policies and austerity budgets. COSATU will be seeking continued engagements with the ANC and government on these. A detailed discussion paper guided by the 8th Central Committee socio-economic resolutions will be developed in response to the plan.
Retirement Conference
COSATU will host a Retirement Conference in June of this year as part of our campaign for comprehensive social security.
Industrial Fund
The CEC resolved to campaign for the establishment of a mass industrial fund to protect collapsing and strategic sectors, particularly mining and manufacturing.
Economic Summit
The CEC resolved to call for and support the convening of a special economic summit focused on rescue plans for key productive sectors, including mining, manufacturing, smelters, and related industrial value chains.
Smelters
The CEC resolved to continue to engage relevant Ministers overseeing smelters and related operations, to address job losses, industrial decline, and energy-related challenges.
Operation Vulindlela
The CEC resolved to engage government on its fears that Operation Vulindlela may commodify water and electricity, undermining constitutional rights, and threatening jobs and decent work.
Labour Relations Act Amendments
The CEC welcomed progress on labour laws amendments, the UIF Board, and the appointment of additional labour inspectors, and resolved to continue monitoring enforcement and implementation.
International
The CEC noted the substantial changes in the global power structure, political economy and their impact on the working class. South Africa’s assumption of the position of SADC Chairperson following the coup in Madagascar was acknowledged. Given the country is next in line to be Chair of SADC, South Africa will host all major SADC events for two consecutive years.
In solidarity with the people of Venezuela, Cuba and Palestine in their struggle to affirm sovereignty, peace and self-determination, COSATU participated in a variety of mass democratic movement activities, marches, pickets and protests across the country.
The CEC resolved to strengthen the monitoring and reporting of international political and socio-economic developments. The need to shift international solidarity towards coordinated working-class action was also expressed. On the back of hosting an International Roundtable on recent geo-political developments on 19 February, the meeting resolved to convene a dedicated workshop on international and economic issues, including developments on the African continent.
On Cuba, the CEC resolved to revive the historic solidarity it shares with the country, considering how Cuba stood with South Africa during its period of oppression.
This year promises to be a significant one for the Federation as it is set to hold the Workers’ Parliament, COSATU’s 15th National Congress in September.
Issued by COSATU
Zanele Sabela (COSATU Spokesperson)
Mobile: 079 287 5788 / 077 600 6639
Email: zaneles@cosatu.org.za