COSATU congratulates the ANC on the occasion of celebrating its 103 years of existence
The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) sends revolutionary and seasonal greetings to the leadership of its ally, the African National Congress, at all levels of the organisation.
We congratulate the ANC for the remarkable achievement. Very few would have thought that the organisation created 103 years ago would live on and remain not only the oldest liberation movement but also the biggest in the entire African continent.
Throughout these 103 years of existence this colossal giant has remained in the forefront of the struggling masses of the people in all different phases and episodes of their struggles. The ANC has throughout its glorious history not only struggled with the masses, but also went through all that our people have go through because it has been the true congress of the people.
This year, 2015, as we prepare to celebrate the milestone of the 21 anniversary of the democratic breakthrough we remember that the ANC was in the forefront of the struggle that delivered the 27th April 1994 breakthrough. The constitutional democracy we celebrate daily underpinned by the constitution celebrated all over the world, the social progress achieved since then, the peace and the relations we enjoy with our neighbours and the world. These gains we believe must be celebrated and should not be taken for granted.
The ANC is acutely aware that whilst we have made tremendous progress in the past 20 years in many fronts, we still have a long way to go before we can proclaim that our freedom is in total. Unemployment including under-employment, poverty, inequalities and corruption remains at completely unacceptable level. Our education and health systems, despite progress, still face massive challenges that require urgent attention.
Underdevelopment and lack of infrastructure in many areas across remain a constant remainder to the challenges that lie ahead. We have been inspired by the clarion call of the ANC Policy Conference and the 53rd National Conference that the second phase of our transition should be about the radical economic emancipation. We hope to work together with the ANC to give a radical content to this call so that we can address the remaining but critical important challenges.
Lastly and more importantly we wish to express our gratitude at on-going attempts to preserve the unity of workers under COSATU. We acknowledge that the divisions that have played themselves out in the public arena for almost three years now wound COSATU. We commit to work hard together with the ANC and the former leaders of the Federation to re-establish trust and unity which is so critical for not just our members but for the working class as a whole.
Happy Birthday ANC!
ANC LIVES AND THE ANC LEADS!
Statement issued by Patrick Craven, COSATU national spokesperson, January 15 2015
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