COSATU Message of solidarity to the ANC launch of the local government elections manifesto - delivered by its General Secretary, Zwelinzima Vavi, February 27 2011
President
Deputy President
Members of the NEC
Revolutionary greetings to all of you on this important occasion when we are launching the ANC local government elections manifesto. This is our manifesto. It is about our issues, our future and our ANC.
We are here representing all COSATU'/s 2 million members to pledge solidarity and total support to the ANC. The ANC is ourselves - the ANC is the workers, workers are ANC. The manifesto being launched today was developed in conjunction with us. It contains our demands and represents our aspirations for effective and transparent local government geared to meeting the needs of our people.
The manifesto answers our demands for decent work and eradication of poverty. It talks to the need for accountable councillors. It addresses the need to employ people strictly on the basis of their professional expertise and not on the basis of who knows whom in the council.
The ANC candidates who eventually represent the movement will be COSATU candidates as well. They will be a product of a democratic process in which all alliance partners have participated. This includes community members who have voted already to choose the peoples representatives. We are aware that no process is not capable of being manipulated. Those who are aggrieved must use the internal structures of the organisation to raise their objections.