Cosatu has resisted the introduction of vaccine mandates. Workers, it argued, should not be forced to vaccinate, though the labour federation has consistently encouraged members to get the shot voluntarily. Gentle persuasion rather than compulsion has been its preferred approach.

And this may well have been at least part of the reason President Cyril Ramaphosa dawdled in pushing vaccine mandates, even though it was clear long ago that the vaccination rate is not nearly where it should be. But Cosatu has now changed its position and Ramaphosa has its backing for vaccine mandates...