Joint COSATU and SACP statement on the Sowetan story “War over Zuma’s job erupts”

8 October 2015

The Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) and the South African Communist Party (SACP) held an ordinary bilateral meeting on Monday, 5 October. This meeting was convened to discuss a wide range of issues affecting the working class and solidarity. The meeting occurred two days before Cosatu’s one day national strike that took place yesterday on World Day for Decent Work and against the backdrop of the bosses in various sectors of the economy announcing mass retrenchments of the workers. This was not a “secret meeting” as reported by the Sowetan today.

Neither was the meeting the first bilateral between Cosatu and the SACP, where the media was not invited. Cosatu and the SACP dismisses the contents of the Sowetan story in relation to the ANC National General Council and the so-called “premier league” as gossip peddled by the Sowetan.

The so-called “premier league” is not the invention of either Cosatu or the SACP – we therefore refuse to be drawn away from working class issues into focusing on hollow and factional notions such as the “premier league” invented in the media. The SACP and Cosatu fully understand the purpose of the ANC National General Council. Both organisations condemn premature and factional opening of debates on leadership election in the rest of our movement. Such a conduct can only disrupt unity in the pursuit of personal and sectarian gains.

Statement issued by Cosatu and the SACP, by Sizwe Pamla, Cosatu National Spokesperson, 8 October 2015