Around two-thousand members of trade unions that are affiliated to the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) have gathered for the labour federation’s 14th national congress in Midrand, north of Johannesburg.
The congress is themed “Building working class unity for economic liberation towards socialism.”
Leaders of ANC and the SACP will also address the election of new COSATU leadership and deliberate issues including the state of organised labour.
Members of around 14 unions that are affiliated to COSATU are expected to discuss the future of the labour federation and the challenges the country’s working class is facing.
The congress will end on Thursday.
#SATAWU delegates resuming their seats in the #CosatuNationalCongress2022 @Newzroom405 @Radio2000_ZA @ewnupdates @JacaNews @jozifm @Powerfm987 @POWER987News pic.twitter.com/Kbv2FqTdDm
— @COSATU Today (@_cosatu) September 26, 2022
Two months ago, COSATU president Zingiswa Losi warned that slogans will not change the living conditions of the poor and the working class. She was addressing delegates at the SACP 15th national congress in Boksburg east of Johannesburg.
DAY 2 SACP National Congress | COSATU president Zingiswa Losi addresses delegates
Some of the issues expected to dominate discussions at Cosatu’s 14th National Congress include the current electricity crisis facing the country, the contentious labour migration issues, the rising cost of living as well as the upcoming national elections in 2024.
Cosatu’s declining membership which had seen the union federation shedding around sixty-thousand members since 2018 is also expected to come under sharp focus at this year’s congress. Cosatu currently has just over 1.5 million members.
