Background
The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) in Gauteng convened a Special Provincial Executive Committee (SPEC) on 7 July 2026 to deliberate on issues including the unity of the Alliance, anti-corruption and the cost-of-living campaigns. The SPEC was convened against the backdrop of nationwide anti-migrant protests and during a dark period in the Alliance where differences on the direction of the country, and the National Democratic Revolution have a potential to bury the Alliance and abandon the revolution.
Unity of the Alliance
The SPEC grounded its discussion guided by its 15th Provincial Congress Political Resolutions, which include the following:
- Build a strong and vibrant Tripartite Alliance to strengthen the Mass Democratic Movement that organises and leads the people towards the full attainment of the NDR.
- Strengthen the hold of the liberation movement on state power and continue to transform the state machinery to serve the cause of social change.
- The ANC must take into confidence COSATU, SACP, and SANCO to ensure optimal alignment to meet the aspirations of the millions of South Africans who have placed their faith in the ANC.
The SACP and COSATU must have frequent engagements with the ANC to defend the aspirations of South Africans.
Defend the unity of COSATU and the unity working class.
The SPEC’s discussion was further guided by the quote of Oliver Tambo who was a staunch believer in the Alliance, he said, “Ours is not merely a paper alliance created at the conference table and formalize through signing of documents and representing only an agreement of leaders. Our alliance is a living organism that has grown out of struggle. We have built it out of struggle. We have built it out of our separate and common experiences”.
While the SPEC noted this difficult epoch of our revolution, it also came out strong on the tactical and strategic blunders the ANC has committed over the years. These blunders include amongst others:
- Corrupt leaders within of the Alliance
- Neo-liberal policy agenda that benefits capital at the expense of the working class
- Coalition in the form of the GNU with our class enemies (DA, FF+, IFP)
- The arrogance of the leader of the Alliance
- Allowing government to reverse PSCBC Resolution 1 of 2018
- The bad and emotional handling of the resolve by the SACP to contest elections by both the ANC and SACP.
- Division of workers based on the preferred party in the Alliance to contest elections
- Vulindlela in the Presidency
The SPEC has also noted the unity of the Alliance in Gauteng but lamented the lack of a coordinated Alliance programme of action. It also appreciated that national Alliance relations must not temper with what is prevailing in the province. This conclusion was arrived at because of the formulation of the government of provincial unity without the Democratic Alliance, through consultation on the formulation of the provincial government, working relationship that COSATU and her affiliates have forged with the Gauteng Provincial Government.
The SPEC lamented divisions in the Alliance on the one side and the consolidation of the right wing through AFRIFORUM, Solidarity and the DA. The arrogance of both the leadership of the ANC and SACP at national level is feigning ignorance to the crisis the Alliance is facing. This, according to the SPEC, is dangerous and a recipe for disaster and will hand state power to the DA and other opposition parties on a silver platter.
The SPEC concluded that despite the challenges in the Alliance, the unity of the Alliance is sacrosanct and the NDR is threatened thus the urgent need to defend this revolution.
The SPEC has noted the outcome of the bi-elections in Everton, Ward 28 at Emfuleni as an epitome of Alliance partners contesting each other. It is a reflection of a very difficult election campaign which unfortunately bears a risk to all Alliance partners contesting the same wards.
The SPEC concluded as follows:
- Engage Alliance partners on the question of the unity of the Alliance in defense of the NDR towards the Local Government Elections.
- Mobilise Alliance partners towards a programme to submit a memorandum to all National Office Bearers of Alliance partners to register our discomfort at the turn of events in the Alliance.
The SPEC adopted the 3 August 2026 as Day of Action to submit a memorandum to National Office Bearers of SANCO, COSATU, SACP and the ANC.
The Day of Action indicated above will be preceded by thorough engagement with our Alliance partners, organisations sympathetic to the Alliance, Veterans of the revolution and those who believe in the NDR. The SPEC noted that the task is difficult but believes that only organised workers are capable of rescuing the Alliance and the NDR.
Campaign against Corruption
The SPEC noted widespread corruption in government departments and state-owned entities. This has obliterated the capacity of the state to deliver quality services to the working class. The revelations of corruption in school by the MEC of Education, Lebogang Maile was very bitter to swallow. It reflected that corruption is everywhere in the state. The SPEC concluded that amongst the challenges the revolution is facing, is corruption by politicians across political parties, public servants and business is most damaging.
Corruption at Tembisa Hospital and other hospitals in Gauteng is alarming and has obliterated the capacity of the public health institutions to provide quality health in public health institutions. The SPEC acknowledged the efforts by the MEC of Health, Faith Mazibuko, to conduct an audit on health infrastructure, a project that started years ago but is still not concluded. The SPEC was of the view that the real cause of these delays is likely corruption.
That being the case, the SPEC decided to launch a campaign to fight corruption in the state. The campaign will include the following:
- Conducting anti-corruption workshops
- Train shop-stewards to identify corruption and report such to law enforcement agencies.
- Training in ethical conduct for all shop-stewards.
- Promote ethical conduct and accountability across all leaders or shop-stewards of COSATU affiliates.
Cost of Living Campaign
COSATU launched this campaign on 19 June 2026. At the core of the demands was the continuous increase in the interest rate, electricity, fuel, food, transport and basic needs.
The SPEC reflected on the program and concluded as follows:
- The launch of the campaign must not be an end in itself but a means to sustain our demands for affordable cost of living.
- The campaign should target NERSA, municipalities, the Competition Committee, the Department Minerals, the Department of Electricity etc.
The campaign should take the form of monthly lunch-time demonstration across all sectors organised by COSATU affiliates.
Working with the Gauteng Provincial Government
The SPEC endorsed the resolution by the PEC held in March to work closely with government. This decision was preceded by a meeting held between COSATU and the Premier and some MECs. At the core of the meeting was the following:
- Progress on the 2025 SOPA promises and a report card from COSATU
- Monitoring of the implementation of projects as announced by the Premier during the 2026 SOPA.
- Working together to ensure implementation of Annual Performance Plans (APP) targets by departments, and municipalities
- Improvement of labour relations in the province.
- Building a patriotic cadre of the public service
- Building an ethical cadre of the public service
The SPEC appreciated that POBs met with MEC Maile to discuss the state of education in the province. The SPEC noted the courage and energy displayed by MEC Maile to improve the quality of education, governance, scholar transport, school infrastructure and safety at schools. The SPEC encouraged POBs to engage all MECs in the province to ensure that all hands are on deck and all will account for the implementation of the APPs.
Issued by COSATU Gauteng Province
Provincial Chairperson: Cde Amos Monyela: 079 493 5002
Provincial Secretary: Cde Louisah Modikwe: 082 297 2659