President of the Congress of the South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) Sdumo Dlamini says the federation is going through a process of renewal after years of turbulence.
Dlamini was speaking during the first day of the federation’s elective congress in Mpumalanga.
More than 700 delegates from 17 affiliates unions are participating in the two-day conference.
Cosatu’s position before 2019’s general elections, reconfiguration of the alliance, national minimum wage, provincial economic outlook, labour brokers and unemployment are on the agenda. Issues of fuel hikes and the land issue are being discussed.
According to Dlamini, the federation’s priority is to forge unity among its affiliates. He says the conference also needs to come out with strategies to advance the interest of the working class.
“Cosatu is going through a phase. I call it a transitional period from the era of turbulence deciding the way forward. After the four years of serious problems, they must look into the next 10 years; they must evaluate 2003, 2015 on the basis of and get a way forward.”
Meanwhile, Provincial Cosatu Chairperson Life Monini has expressed confidence in the new administration of President Cyril Ramaphosa fighting corruption. He says many municipalities, provincial government departments and state-owned entities collapsed because of corruption.
“Corruption is not only in the private sector; it is also in the public sector and I know this corruption has been there including in the period prior to the new dispensation. But all that we are saying, we changed the government because we want the government that will serve the interest of the people.”
Acting Chairperson of the ANC in Mpumalanga, Mandla Ndlovu has warned the alliance partners against contesting state power.
According to Ndlovu, such a move will disadvantage the alliance as it shares the same support base.
“It might happen that it might assist, but we are sharing the same constituency, the same base. If you are going to get the votes from the right it was going to assist us because after the election we were going to form a coalition. But what is going to happen is that we are just going to divide our own support from the historical base of the African National Congress.”
Infighting within Cosatu affiliates and poaching of members was cited as a serious problem facing the federation in Mpumalanga.
Delegates are expected to vote for a new provincial leadership.
The federation will hold its national elective conference in September.
