The South African Municipal Workers’ Union (SAMWU), on behalf of municipal workers across the country, extends its well wishes to the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) as it prepares to convene its 15th National Congress from 14 to 17 September 2026.
The Congress takes place at a difficult moment for the working class. Millions remain unemployed, the cost of living continues to rise, collective bargaining is under attack, and austerity is weakening the public institutions upon which workers and poor communities depend. Local government is in crisis, with municipalities collapsing, infrastructure deteriorating and some workers experiencing delayed salaries and unpaid third-party deductions.
SAMWU expects the Congress to emerge with a practical programme to defend workers, oppose austerity and privatisation, strengthen collective bargaining and rebuild the organisational power of the Federation and its affiliates. COSATU must remain independent, militant, democratic and firmly rooted in workplaces.
The Congress must also provide political clarity on the South African Communist Party’s decision to contest state power. SAMWU’s 13th National Congress resolved that there should be a political pact between the SACP and the African National Congress. Such a pact must provide clarity on a common political programme, the upcoming local government elections and the future of the Alliance. Political and tactical differences must never be allowed to divide workers.
Congress will also elect leadership. SAMWU expects the leadership contest to be conducted with discipline and political maturity. Positions must never become more important than the Federation. COSATU must emerge from the Congress united behind one leadership, one programme and one class purpose.
SAMWU will attend the Congress carrying the mandate of its 13th National Congress and will seek support for the resolutions it has sponsored. The first resolution calls for the rejection of Distribution Agency Agreements between Eskom and municipalities. These agreements threaten municipal revenue, workers’ jobs, the constitutional authority of local government and the future of publicly delivered services. The signing of such an agreement in Ditsobotla Local Municipality demonstrates that this threat is no longer theoretical.
SAMWU further reiterates its rejection of attempts to restructure municipal departments and services into business units. Municipalities are institutions of public service and not profit-making businesses. The business-unit model fragments municipal services, promotes commercialisation, threatens workers’ jobs and creates conditions for outsourcing and privatisation.
Our second resolution calls for a decisive campaign against corruption. Every rand stolen from a municipality is taken from workers and communities. Tenderisation, outsourcing and the excessive use of consultants have weakened municipalities and created fertile ground for corruption. Municipalities must rebuild their internal capacity and employ the workers and professionals required to deliver services directly.
Our third resolution addresses the inadequate funding of municipalities. Municipalities carry enormous developmental responsibilities but receive an insufficient share of nationally raised revenue. SAMWU is calling for the local-government share to be increased to at least 15 percent and for municipal infrastructure and maintenance funding to be protected and ring-fenced. National Treasury must also end the practice of withholding equitable-share allocations in a manner that punishes workers and communities.
These resolutions and many others we have sponsored are not narrow demands affecting municipal workers alone. They concern the future of local government, public services and the millions of people who depend on functioning municipalities.
SAMWU wishes COSATU, its leadership, affiliates and delegates a successful and productive Congress. We trust that the Congress will strengthen the unity of workers and position COSATU at the centre of the struggle for decent work, quality public services and a socialist South Africa.
Issued by SAMWU Secretariat
Dumisane Magagula, General Secretary, 076 580 4029, Sam Lekhuleni, Deputy General Secretary, 082 526 6639 or Papikie Mohale, National Media Officer, 076 7958670.