LETTER: If ANC is dying, so is Cosatu

Luyolo Mkentane’s report on the governing party’s national executive committee lekgotla refers (“The ANC is dying, says Cosatu”, January 23).

Union federation Cosatu is still ostensibly in alliance with the ANC. Its president, Zingiswa Losi, still speaks in terms that indicate this partnership remains intact. An example of this was when she asked “are we here for the sake of tradition?” “If we are serious about saving the movement, rebuilding government and growing the economy, then we must be serious about the decisions we reach in these makgotla.”

So Cosatu acknowledges that the ANC is dying and can’t seem to get anything right, but at the same time it seems to be willing to stand with the ANC — and probably die with it. Yet over the past decade the ANC has done the union movement no favours. We have seen duplicitous action by government wage negotiators, and even the ANC’s own staff have not received their wages timeously.

Issues such as the payment of PAYE, Workmen’s Compensation and UIF have been ignored, and under an ANC government we have seen unemployment soar as it completely destroyed the job market. Losi cannot see the wood for the trees; how can she be expected to lead workers out of this mutually destructive relationship? 

Michael Bagraim, MP
DA deputy shadow employment & labour minister

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