Taking COSATU Today Forward Special Bulletin, 19 February 2026
Norman Mampane
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COSATU TODAY #Cosatu affiliates in the public service mobilizing workers for the 24th Feb lunchtime pickets and 26th Feb National Day of Action against #GEMS’s unaffordable member’s contribution increase…. #ClassSolidarity #Cosatu40 #SACTU70 #ClassStruggle “Build Working Class Unity for Economic Liberation towards Socialism” #CosatuCallCentre 010 002 2590 #Back2Basics #JoinCOSATUNow #ClassConsciousness |
Taking COSATU Today Forward Special Bulletin
‘Whoever sides with the revolutionary people in deed as well as in word is a revolutionary in the full sense’-Maoo
Our side of the story
19 February 2026
“Build Working Class Unity for Economic Liberation towards Socialism”
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Contents
- Workers Parliament: Back to Basics!
- NUM condemns violent attack on members at Impala Platinum Memorial Service; Slams management for exclusion
- Minerals Council South Africa has deployed a senior management team to Kimberley to support its member, Ekapa Mining
- COSATU initiative prioritises pupils in flood- and GBV-ravaged communities
- South Africa
- COSATU urges DTIC to swiftly action interventions to unlock the local film industry
- Minister Buti Manamela appoints Administrator at College of Cape Town
- Committee lays foundation to safeguard jobs in television and film industry
- International-Workers’ Solidarity!
- Four years of war: Workers still paying the price in Ukraine
- “I was not a prisoner, I was hostage of the system”: Gennady Fedynich after his release from Belarusian jail
Workers’ Parliament-Back2Basics
NUM condemns violent attack on members at Impala Platinum Memorial Service; Slams management for exclusion
Olehile Kgware, NUM Deputy President, February 19, 2026
The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) strongly condemns the brutal and unprovoked attack on our members this morning at Impala Platinum’s South Shaft.
The violence occurred as NUM members attempted to attend a memorial service for a fallen NUM member who tragically lost his life in a fatal incident last week.
The NUM is outraged by the blatant gatekeeping displayed by Impala Platinum management. Despite the deceased being a dedicated NUM member, management inexplicably sidelined our union, granting exclusive permission to AMCU to attend the service.
When NUM members, led by the Rustenburg Regional leadership, arrived to pay their final respects, they were met with extreme violence by alleged AMCU members.
These individuals were armed with dangerous weapons—including firearms, pangas, and knobkerries—inside mine premises. The attackers proceeded to throw chairs and assault our members, resulting in several injuries.
The NUM places this on the record:
• Safety Failure: It is unacceptable that individuals were permitted to carry life-threatening weapons onto mine property. We demand to know how security protocols failed to prevent this from happening.
• Exclusion: The NUM has been an integral part of the investigation alongside the Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources (DMPR) since the fatal incident occurred. To be excluded from the memorial of our own member is an insult to the deceased and their family.
• Accountability: We call on Impala Platinum management to take immediate responsibility for their negligence, security breach and provocative handling of the memorial service.
At the centre of all this conflict is the issue of bargaining rights at Impala Platinum.
The NUM will not be intimidated by violence or administrative sidelining. We remain committed to seeking justice for our fallen member and ensuring the safety of our workers on the ground.
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Media Statement | Minerals Council South Africa has deployed a senior management team to Kimberley to support its member, Ekapa Mining, following the mud-rush incident at the Ekapa diamond mine.
The focus is on supporting the operation, employees and families, engaging key stakeholders, and reinforcing the industry’s commitment to Zero Harm while investigations continue.
Download the media statement here: https://ow.ly/QMQe50YhEWZ
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COSATU initiative prioritises pupils in flood- and GBV-ravaged communities
Zanele Sabela, COSATU Spokesperson, 18 February 2026
The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) is set to do its bit part in restoring dignity to pupils in flood-and GBV-ravaged communities in three provinces.
Following its second successful annual Charity Golf Challenge in December, COSATU will head to Limpopo, Mpumalanga and the Eastern Cape this coming Saturday, 21 February, to donate school shoes and dignity bags to learners.
Starting in 2024, COSATU has hosted a Charity Golf Challenge bringing together COSATU leaders, government officials and business partners on the golf course to help raise funds for its activities, school shoes and dignity bags for underprivileged learners.
Every swing contributed to changing a child’s school experience and enhancing their confidence and wellbeing.
In the true spirit of Ubuntu, President Cyril Ramaphosa supported the cause and joined in the merriment on both years.
The communities in Limpopo and Mpumalanga were selected for donations following the devasting floods they suffered early this year, while the Eastern Cape community was chosen due to the scourge of gender-based violence that has pervaded it. Educators, pupils and parents have been invited to handover events across the three provinces as follows:
Province: Limpopo
Venue: Masiza High School Sports Grounds, Mbaula, Giyani
Recipients from: Nyiko Primary School and Masiza High School
Date: 21 February 2026
Starting Time: 11am
Province: Eastern Cape
Venue: Jumba Senior Secondary School Hall, Mqhekezweni, Mthatha
Recipients from: Jumba Senior Secondary School
Date: 21 February 2026
Starting Time: 11am
Province: Mpumalanga
Venue: Sidlemu Primary School Hall, Nkomazi
Recipients from: Silindokuhle Special School and Mphoti Primary School
Date: 21 February 2026
Starting Time: 11am
COSATU President, Zingiswa Losi, has been spearheading this flagship initiative and will be at the Limpopo handover along with General Secretary, Solly Phetoe. The Federation’s 2nd Deputy President, Duncan Luvuno, and Deputy General Secretary, Gerald Twala are headed to the Eastern Cape. While 1st Deputy President, Mike Shingange, and National Treasurer, Freda Oosthuysen, will be in Mpumalanga.
In preparation for the handover, COSATU has received lists from schools detailing the correct shoe size and gender of each recipient to avoid any mishaps. Each child will also receive a COSATU branded school bag with hygiene products including a washcloth, toothbrush, toothpaste, roll-on, lotion and sanitary pads for girls.
The Federation is sincerely grateful to its partners and stakeholders, including the golfers, for their continued support of this vital initiative.
Issued by COSATU
Zanele Sabela (COSATU Spokesperson)
Mobile: 079 287 5788 / 077 600 6639
Email: zan...@cosatu.org.za
South Africa #ClassSolidarity
COSATU urges DTIC to swiftly action interventions to unlock the local film industry
Matthew Parks, COSATU Parliamentary Coordinator, 19 February 2026
The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) urges the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (DTIC) to swiftly action interventions to unlock the local film industry.
The film industry is a key growth sector with the potential to attract substantial investment, promote South Africa as a leading global trade and tourism destination, and create badly needed jobs and value chains.
The challenges being experienced by the film industry need to be tackled as a matter of urgency.
COSATU supports DTIC’s timely focus on unlocking blockages to funding from the Department plus seeking additional financing from Treasury, the Industrial Development Corporation and the National Empowerment Fund, overhauling and streamlining funding application processes and reviewing the impact of potential incentives as key to unleashing this nascent growth sector.
The reassurances provided by Minister Parks Tau and the Department to Parliament of their commitments to do so provide comfort to workers in this sector.
It is critical that DTIC’s envisaged national working group for the industry include workers in the sector, in particular the South African Guild of Actors and unions organising stunt and technical crews.
For far too long these workers have been subjected to the most abhorrent and abominable working conditions, including industry-imposed contracts undermining their fundamental rights to be paid above the National Minimum Wage, paid leave, overtime pay and safe working conditions.
Support for the industry must be conditional upon production companies and employers complying with all our labour laws.
Employers must appreciate that South Africa is a nation of laws and be held accountable by government when they fall foul of their legal obligations.
Issued by COSATU.
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COSATU Gauteng statement on the City of Ekurhuleni’s vetting of Metro Police officers
Louisah Moepeng Modikwe, COSATU Gauteng Provincial Secretary, 18 February 2026
COSATU Gauteng notes with serious concern the unilateral decision by the City of Ekurhuleni to commence a vetting process for more than 3 000 Metro Police officers without meaningful consultation with organised labour, particularly with the recognised union representing these workers.
While COSATU Gauteng unequivocally supports measures to uphold accountability, transparency and integrity in law enforcement, the protection of workers’ rights and the observance of fair labour practices must remain non-negotiable.
Any process that has the potential to alter terms and conditions of employment must be subject to proper collective bargaining and consultation with affected unions, in line with labour legislation and sound industrial relations practice.
We recognise the importance of vetting as part of public confidence in law enforcement, especially following the troubling revelations before the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry.
However, we are alarmed that frontline EMPD officers many of whom are not implicated in any wrongdoing, are being subjected to this process before senior leadership and management are held to account.
As our Affiliate, the South African Municipal Workers Union (SAMWU), rightly pointed out, problems in institutions often begin at the top, and leadership must lead by example.
COSATU Gauteng also reiterates that any vetting or disciplinary process must be:
Just, transparent and lawful, ensuring due process and respect for workers’ rights.
Consultative, reflecting genuine engagement with labour representatives at every stage.
Focused on conduct and accountability at all levels, starting with those in senior management who bear ultimate responsibility for the culture and performance of the department and be implemented in a way that protects both the safety of the public and the security of workers’ livelihoods.
COSATU Gauteng calls on the City of Ekurhuleni to immediately halt any current unilateral actions and enter structured, good-faith engagement with SAMWU and other relevant labour formations. Furthermore, we urge that the vetting process be transparent, evidence-based, and in accordance with labour rights and constitutional protections for workers.
Worker dignity, accountability and community safety must go hand in hand. We stand in solidarity with employees who seek fairness, and with communities who deserve professional, ethical, and accountable policing.
We will continue to monitor developments closely and will not hesitate to mobilise support for democratic and fair labour practices.
Issued by COSATU Gauteng
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Minister Buti Manamela appoints Administrator at College of Cape Town
18 Feb 2026
The Minister of Higher Education and Training, Mr Buti Manamela, has concluded his consideration of the final report of the Stabilisation and Governance Support Team (SGST) appointed to assess the affairs of the College of Cape Town.
After affording the College Council an opportunity to study the report and submit written representations, and having duly considered those submissions, the Minister has accepted the findings and recommendations of the SGST.
The report confirms serious and sustained governance failures, weaknesses in oversight, compromised human resource practices, and risks to teaching and learning. It further identifies evidence of financial and other forms of maladministration of a serious nature, resulting in the effective undermining of the College’s governance structures. These findings require decisive corrective action.
In terms of section 46 of the Continuing Education and Training Act, 2006, the Minister has determined that intervention is necessary to stabilise the institution, safeguard students, protect teaching and learning, and restore lawful governance.
Accordingly, the Minister has appointed Dr Robert Nkuna as Administrator of the College of Cape Town, with effect from the date of publication of the appointment in the Government Gazette. The appointment is time-bound and will endure for a period not exceeding two years, or until a duly constituted Council is established.
During this period, the Administrator will assume the governance functions of Council and will focus on:
stabilising governance and management;
ensuring compliance with court orders and statutory prescripts;
implementing key recommendations arising from oversight and audit processes; and
safeguarding teaching, learning, and student wellbeing.
The Minister emphasises that this intervention is corrective and restorative in nature, undertaken in the best interests of students, staff, and the broader public.
The Minister thanks the members of the Stabilisation and Governance Support Team for the professional, participatory, and evidence-based manner in which they conducted their work.
The Department will continue to monitor progress closely as the stabilisation process unfolds.
Enquiries:
Spokesperson to the Minister
Matshepo Seedat
Cell: 082 679 9473
Issued by Department of Higher Education and Training
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Committee lays foundation to safeguard jobs in television and film industry
Parliament, Wednesday, 18 February 2026
The Portfolio Committee on Trade, Industry and Competition yesterday laid the foundation for safeguarding jobs and restoring confidence in South Africa’s film and television industry.
Following extensive engagements with stakeholders and the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (DTIC) yesterday, the committee has reaffirmed its commitment to facilitating meaningful dialogue aimed at retaining existing jobs, creating new employment opportunities, and advancing inclusive economic development in the industry.
The film and television sector told the committee that it is facing significant funding challenges, due to uncertainty around payments from the Film and Television Production Incentive Programme, including incentives pre-approved in 2021 that were later revoked due to what was described as non-compliance by industry players. These developments have had serious consequences for production companies, investors and workers across the value chain, as it affects the domestic industry’s ability to raise commercial capital for projects.
The sector is people-intensive and sustains thousands of South Africans including actors, directors, producers and filmmakers but also small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs) providing catering, transport, set design, clothing, and other essential services. It also offers numerous opportunities for youth employment and on-the-job technical skills development.
The committee believes that the value of this sector must not be underestimated in a country with high unemployment. Therefore, supporting a people-intensive sector like film and television is not a luxury, it is a necessity.
After yesterday’s meeting, the committee concluded the following:
- It acknowledged the fiscal constraints facing the country. However, it stressed that funding limitations cannot become a permanent barrier to growth. Thus, it called for the exploration of creative and alternative funding solutions.
- It highlighted the need for improved communication and coordination between government, through the DTIC, and industry stakeholders to resolve industry concerns and ensure the creation of a conducive environment for a thriving industry.
- Greater clarity and consistency in incentive guidelines and eligibility criteria are critical to ensuring compliance and preventing future disputes.
- It called on the DTIC and the National Treasury to urgently engage and provide a clear, unified position on the funding of incentives as policy uncertainty undermines investment decisions and places jobs at risk.
Chairperson of the committee, Mr Mzwandile Masina, said the committee does not implement policy and does not directly allocate budgets, its responsibility is to ensure that the department, working together with industry, resolves the challenges in the film industry.
“We have consistently advocated that support from the DTIC must go beyond financial assistance. There must also be non-financial support that helps industry players comply with guidelines and eligibility requirements.
Our task now is to ensure continuous engagement until solutions are found. We owe it to the thousands of South Africans whose livelihoods depend on this sector to ensure certainty to restore investor confidence” said Masina.
The committee will continue to monitor progress being made by the department and industry players to ensure that the current challenges are resolved and stability is restored to this critical sector of the South African economy.
ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON TRADE, INDUSTRY AND COMPETITION, MR MZWANDILE MASINA.
For media enquiries, please contact the committee’s Media Officer:
Name: Ms Faith Ndenze
Parliamentary Communication Service
Email: fnd...@parliament.gov.za
International-Solidarity
Four years of war: Workers still paying the price in Ukraine
17 February, 2026
Four years after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022, Ukrainian workers continue to face deadly attacks on mines, railways and energy infrastructure. Trade unions are calling for peace, respect for international law and reconstruction grounded in workers’ rights and democracy.
Russia’s war of aggression, which began with the full-scale assault on 24 February 2022, continues to inflict devastating losses on Ukrainian workers and their unions. Mines, railways and energy infrastructure remain targets and civilians are paying with their lives as the invasion enters its fourth year.
On 1 February 2026, Russian forces struck a coal mining enterprise and a bus carrying miners between shifts in the Dnipropetrovsk region using Shahed-type drones. Twelve people were killed-ten mineworkers and two civilians who rushed to assist-and at least 16 were injured, several seriously. Ninety-one miners were trapped underground in dangerous conditions.These were energy workers keeping Ukraine’s power system running during a freezing winter.
The same week, a passenger train was hit by a drone, killing civilians inside a railcar. Energy infrastructure, railways and industrial facilities remain systematic targets. Entire cities are repeatedly left without electricity, heating and water. Workers in frontline and near-frontline regions continue to labour under constant threat.
Workers have paid a heavy price. More than 1,000 were injured at workplaces in 2025 as a result of hostile attacks, including over 200 fatalities. In the first weeks of 2026 alone, dozens more workers have been injured and killed on the job.
Energy workers, miners, railway workers, postal workers and emergency responders continue to work under fire to keep the country functioning. Despite severe winter conditions, including temperatures dropping to minus 27 degrees Celsius, energy workers restore electricity after each strike only to see new attacks destroy their efforts again. The office of the Independent Trade Union of Miners of Ukraine (NPGU) has been without power for up to 20–22 hours per day, yet continues its work defending members and providing assistance.
Ukrainian unions appeal for urgent solidarity
In early February, the Independent Trade Union of Miners of Ukraine appealed to IndustriALL Global Union and industriAll Europe following the latest deadly attacks. The union underlined that these are not isolated incidents but systematic strikes on workers
and critical infrastructure that sustain the country’s energy, transport and economic life.
IndustriALL assistant general secretary Kemal Özkan said:
“For four years, Ukrainian workers have shown extraordinary courage in defending their workplaces, their communities and their country. Russia’s continued attacks on miners, energy workers and civilians are unacceptable and must stop. The international trade
union movement will not waver in its solidarity. Peace, democracy and respect for workers’ rights must prevail.”
Ukrainian unions have also raised serious concerns regarding the labour law reform process currently under way.
On 29 January 2026, IndustriALL Global Union and industriAll Europe wrote to ILO requesting urgent intervention to ensure that
the reform process complies with international labour standards and guarantees genuine social dialogue.
The draft labour code was advanced rapidly without meaningful consultation with trade unions. Ukrainian affiliates have expressed deep concern about the weakening of fundamental rights and the exclusion of social partners from a process that will shape labour
relations for years to come. Even in wartime, reforms must respect ILO conventions ratified by Ukraine and uphold the principles of tripartism and democratic dialogue.
Peace, democracy and reconstruction
From the first days of the invasion, IndustriALL has stood in unwavering solidarity with its Ukrainian affiliates providing
humanitarian assistance, advocating internationally and supporting plans for reconstruction grounded in trade union rights.
Ukrainian unions have been clear: workers cannot bear the burden of war, reconstruction and safety risks. Rebuilding Ukraine must strengthen collective bargaining, social protection and decent work not weaken them.
IndustriALL supports the ITUC’s Trade Unions for Peace and Democracy campaign, which calls for an end to the war, full respect for international law and the restoration of peace based on justice and democracy.
Four years on, Ukrainian workers continue to defend their workplaces, communities and country under relentless attack. IndustriALL reiterates its unwavering support for Ukrainian workers and their unions and calls for an immediate end to Russia’s aggression,
full respect for international humanitarian law and reconstruction anchored in trade union rights, social dialogue and democratic principles.
ITUC has established a Solidarity Fund for Ukraine and IndustriALL urges all affiliates to make targeted, earmarked contributions to the ITUC Solidarity Fund for Ukraine in solidarity with Ukrainian workers and their unions during this critical winter. Details below:
Reference: Solidarity Fund
ITUC/CSI account: 068-9007804-23
(BIC/Swift: GKCCBEBB – IBAN: BE92 0689 0078 0423)
Banque Belfius S.A.
Place Rogier 11
1000 Brussels Belgium
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“I was not a prisoner, I was hostage of the system”: Gennady Fedynich after his release from Belarusian jail
18 February, 2026
Gennady Fedynich is the long-time leader of the independent Radio and Electronics Industry Workers’ Union (REP) in Belarus. One of many Belarusian trade unionists imprisoned in the crackdown on free unions, Gennady was released from prison in September and immediately deported to Lithuania without any documents or access to his pension.
In December last year, IndustriALL travelled to Villnius to meet with Gennady Fedynich. In this interview, he speaks about his imprisonment, his health, the destruction of independent trade unions in Belarus and the challenges facing unionists in exile.
Belarus is one of the worst countries in the world for workers here independent trade unions have been dismantled, labour rights criminalized and freedom of association completely suppressed, prompting urgent calls for international action and ILO intervention. Unions in Belarus have been under attack since August 2020, with searches of union offices and homes of union leaders and activists, administrative penalties, detentions and imprisonments of those who fight for workers’ rights.
You are free, even though deported. How are you today?
“Prison leaves a mark on you. I am taking care of my lost health. I developed diabetes in prison and was supposed to have joint replacement surgery, but I declined. One of the doctors said it would be better not to do it — I might not survive.. Curing people in our country is a problem, but getting rid of bodies is not.
You have spent many years in the trade union movement. Looking back, what stands out to you?
“I was 32 when I joined the trade union movement, and I worked for 35 years in it. I don’t regret it in any way.”
In April 2022, the Committee for State Security of Belarus (KGB) labelled the REP an extremist organization and banned its activities. The KGB claimed that REP had failed to comply with a court decision ordering the removal of certain materials they considered extremist. The union response was simple: they had never received that court decision and therefore could neither appeal it nor comply with it.
“When the KGB realized this, they understood the case should have been closed. But closing it would have required reporting to higher rank officer, so the case continued and the court decision itself was essentially fabricated.
“Over the years, there was increased pressure on unions in Belarus. I have always wondered why leaders of REP received the longest prison terms, eight, nine and ten years. The KGB told me they had been observing me for 16 years. That is a long time.”
What lead to your imprisonment?
“It was in 2023, we were three REP members in court at that time, in a closed hearing. A new charge was introduced – Article 130 – and in addition, we were declared extremists, which carries a sentence of up to twelve years. The court did not cite a single fact proving extremism, and the prosecution had not even requested the application of this article.
“We denied all allegations but it was all decided beforehand.In Belarus, there is what we call telephone justice and decisions are made by orders from above rather than in court. The judge didn’t give us the maximum sentence. When asked, she said it was because we were retirees.”
What were the conditions in prison like?
“The staff get their orders from Minsk. And political prisoners make up a special category, designed to be mocked. Other prisoners were not allowed to communicate with us.
“The informants got tea, coffee and cigarettes in return for information, including information about political prisoners. And you could buy goods for 200 rubles if you were a normal prisoner. But a political prisoner could only buy for 80 rubles.
“At first they gave us prison quilted jackets, but later they were taken away. At night, you were able to sleep for maybe 30 minutes, then you would wake up because it was so cold. So I usually got up and did some exercise.
“Everyone goes through solitary confinement. I spent ten days there. There were only benches. During the day you were not allowed to lie down, you could only sit up.”
Were there moments that particularly stand out?
“Just before our release when we were moved to the KGB prison, in the morning, they played the national anthem of Belarus and wanted everyone to stand up. There were 13 of us who refused to stand. As a consequence we were denied breakfast.
They confiscated case materials, personal correspondence, photographs of family members, an electric razor and even 700 rubles of my pension. When leaving the prison, we signed a document stating that everything is returned, but the truth is that nothing was returned.”
Would it be possible to recreate REP in Belarus again?
“Of course, a formal decision to recreate the union can be made, but but this must be accompanied by concrete decisions, including the return of our office, otherwise it is meaningless.. It is very dangerous to be an independenttrade unionist in Belarus, so today it is not possible to say that we can simply recreate our trade union.
“Trade unions are important in politics. We know today, that around 20 trade unionists are still in prison in Belarus, but there may be others we do not know about.
“But one day things will change in Belarus, so we need to be prepared.”
How do you communicate with your family that is still in Belarus?
“We talk on the phone. After my release, and I was not even given any document confirming that I had been released, my wife and eldest son came to see me. Once my wife got a call asking where her husband is. She learned to answer: he is where you brought him.
“But being separated is a huge problem for us. We would like to be together, but where would we live? My wife is retiring so she could join me. The law in Belarus has changed so that you now have to be physically in the country to conduct any real-estate transactions. I cannot return to Belarus, because I no longer have a national passport, so we are stuck at the moment.
“It is an uncertain situation that does not have a simple solution. So we have to be careful what we say and do to protect our relatives in Belarus. But we are still planning our future to go back to Minsk. This uncertain status we have does not have a simple solution.”
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Norman Mampane (Shopsteward Editor)
Congress of South African Trade Unions
110 Jorissen Cnr Simmonds Street, Braamfontein, 2017
P.O.Box 1019, Johannesburg, 2000, South Africa
Tel: +27 11 339-4911 Direct line: 010 219-1348