Saftu gears up for action
Politically independent new federation will launch in Gauteng with a membership of about 700,000 and a focus mainly on workers’ issues
The labour landscape in SA continues to shift with the entrance on Friday of the South African Federation of Trade Unions (Saftu), the second-largest labour federation after the ANC-aligned Cosatu. Labour instability has been a key factor blocking the country’s investment potential since union rivalry contributed to the Marikana massacre of 2012. The entry of the federation will lead to heightened competition for union membership in workplaces across the economy. It comes as the relationship between Cosatu and its ally, the ANC, was marred by increasing tension after the federation called on President Jacob Zuma to step down following a string of scandals that resulted in the party’s loss of three key metros in the 2016 local polls. Saftu is set to launch in Gauteng with a membership of nearly 700,000. The Federation of Unions of SA, represented in the National Economic Development and Labour Council, has just over 550,000 and the National Council of Trade Unions has 400,000. Cosatu...
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