COSATU welcomes ANC NEC Lekgotla’s progressive commitments

August 9, 2024

The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) welcomes the African National Congress (ANC)’s National Executive Committee’s Lekgotla’s progressive commitments. The Lekgotla was characterised by a sense of deep humility, honesty and self-introspection, a determination to correct mistakes and restore the ANC to its historical role as the leading political vehicle to improve the lives of ordinary South Africans. COSATU appreciates the ANC addressing the concerns of workers and the Federation and its reaffirmation of the importance of the Alliance.

We are pleased that the key proposals made by COSATU have been adopted by the Lekgotla, in particular to ensuring the Government of National Unity (GNU) not only respects the hard-won rights of workers but seeks to actively improve their working and living conditions. We welcome key commitments of the Lekgotla to:

Provide Eskom, Transnet, Metro Rail and other critical State-Owned Enterprises the support they require to unlock economic growth.

Capacitate the state and municipalities to ensure society and the economy receive the quality public services they depend upon, including ensuring workers are paid on time.

Ramp up the Presidential Employment Stimulus and other public employment programmes, to fill critical frontline vacancies.

Utilise the SRD Grant as a foundation for a Basic Income Grant, begin the roll out of the National Health Insurance, and to pursue interventions to ease the cost of living on the poor and working class.

Accelerate the war against crime and corruption by providing the South African Police Service, National Prosecuting Authority and the South African Revenue Service the resources they require.

It is critical that the detailed and progressive commitments of the Lekgotla are integrated into the GNU’s platform and are well resourced in the Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement due to be tabled at Parliament in October. COSATU will be working closely with the ANC, the South African Communist Party and the South African National Civics’ Organisation, to ensure not only are they integrated into the Cabinet’s programme, but more importantly that their implementation is accelerated.

Workers facing a 42% unemployment rate, entrenched poverty and inequality, high levels of crime and corruption; need government led by the ANC to succeed. We are confident that the painfully sobering 2024 election results and the pending 2026 local government elections, will spur the ANC to intensify its renewal and government to tackle our many socio-economic challenges. The Federation will continue to play its role to ensure this happens.

Statement issued by COSATU, 9 August 2024