It remains to be seen if African National Congress (ANC) President Cyril Ramaphosa will be allowed to address members of the South African Democratic Teachers Union (SADTU) on Tuesday.
The union will host its National General Council from Tuesday until Thursday at Emperors Palace in Kempton Park, east of Johannesburg.
Leaders of the Tripartite Alliance have been invited, with Ramaphosa representing the ANC and with the SACP led by its General Secretary Solly Mapaila.
Last week, the ANC was prevented from addressing members at the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) 14th National Congress.
The party’s National Chairperson Gwede Mantashe, was heckled, booed and forced off the stage after delegates accused the governing party of failing to honour the last leg of Resolution 1 of 2018, which resulted in public service employees not receiving salary increases in 2020, as per agreement.
The “hamba Gwede, asinamali” song fills the room. Workers appear to be rejecting the ANC National Chairperson who is meant to deliver a message on behalf of the ANC which is Cosatu’s alliance partner #CosatuNationalCongress2022 #sabcnews pic.twitter.com/mdfAtnA3Mf
— Katlego Legodi (@KatlegoLegodi_) September 26, 2022
This reneging has strained relations between labour and government and by extension, the ANC.
However, SADTU says the president will deliver the ANC message of support as planned.
Mantashe heckled and booed off stage at COSATU’s 14th National Congress: