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Today marks the 39th anniversary of the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU). This vibrant labour movement was founded on 1 December 1985, when it brought together 33 competing unions and federations that were vehemently opposed to apartheid and committed to a non-racial, non-sexist and democratic South Africa.
The formation of COSATU was a culmination of four years of unity talks. The National Union of Mineworkers, an independent union at the time, was among the founding unions together with the Federation of South African Trade Unions, National Federation of Workers and others.
Since then, the Federation of Elijah Barayi and founding General Secretary Jay Naidoo, has been at the forefront of advancing, defending and protecting the interests and rights of workers with the ultimate goal of improving their economic and social wellbeing. COSATU has led in the formation of the country’s progressive labour laws including workers’ rights to form trade unions, collective bargaining and to strike, minimum conditions of service, National Minimum Wage, etc. The Federation’s most recent victory for workers has been the implementation of the Two-Pot retirement system, that has seen almost 2 million workers withdraw funds from their savings component to pay off suffocating debt.
COSATU’s current struggles include ensuring that the government of national unity implements the Basic Education Laws Amendment (BELA) Act in its entirety; countering any attempts that seek to block the implementation of the National Health Insurance (NHI); ensuring employer compliance with the National Minimum Wage; making sure municipalities, security and cleaning companies that have been defaulting on pension fund payments comply and bring workers’ contributions up to date, with the aid of Financial Sector Conduct Authority and Department of Employment and Labour.
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The Federation is humbled by the continuous strides our Affiliates make across the economy and workplaces. AFADWU, SACTWU and SACCAWU are making impressive inroads organising farmworkers. SADTU, POPCRU, SAEPU, CEPPWAWU and NUM have shown the spotlight on the fundamental right of workers to a guaranteed safe working environment. NEHAWU has waged battles to ensure Community Health Workers are made permanent. SAMWU has been at the forefront tackling employers who fail to pay workers’ wages. DENOSA, NEHAWU, PAWUSA among others have been relentless in their calling for workers to be given the tools of trade needed to deliver public services. SATAWU, SASBO and CWU have been steadfast in the face of the challenges of outsourcing confronting many sectors.
Whilst 2024 has been a painful year for the liberation movement led by the African National Congress and the South African Communist Party, we are confident that it will accelerate its renewal and reconfiguration. We are equally confident that the developmental role of the state can and will be defended in the face of self-serving neo-liberalism. The working class depends upon a capacitated state to help unlock the economy and slash unemployment, poverty and inequality.
The Federation will celebrate its 39th anniversary in Mpumalanga on 6 December, at the Adelaide Tambo Multipurpose Centre in Middleburg at 10am, and proudly look back on nearly four decades of defending and advancing workers’ and working-class interests. Together with its militant affiliates, COSATU will set the tone for 2025 as it readies for 40 years of worker and working-class struggles.
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