Taking COSATU Today Forward Special Bulletin, 7 April 2025
Norman Mampane
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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
7 April 2025
“Build Working Class Unity for Economic Liberation towards Socialism”
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Contents
- Workers Parliament: Back to Basics!
- Media Invite: SAMWU to March in Buffalo City Metro Municipality on 8th April 2025 Over Issues of Financial Mismanagement, Corruption, and Service Delivery Failures
Ø SADTU Free State statement on the payment of third parties by Department of Education
- Greytown Hospital - Premises Cleaning Challenge
- South Africa
- NEHAWU welcomes High Court Judgment against Board of Healthcare Funders on its proposal for low-cost benefit options as an alternative to NHI
- A budget for inclusive growth and development
- International-Workers’ Solidarity!
- WFTU declaration on World Health Day
- Korean unions welcome decision to uphold impeachment of President Yoon
Workers’ Parliament-Back2Basics
Media Invite: SAMWU to March in Buffalo City Metro Municipality on 8th April 2025 Over Issues of Financial Mismanagement, Corruption, and Service Delivery Failures
Asamza Ntaka, SAMWU Eastern Cape Provincial Secretary, 7 April 2025
The South African Municipal Workers’ Union (SAMWU) in the Eastern Cape will lead a peaceful march in Buffalo City Metro Municipality (BCMM) on the 8th of April 2025 (from North End to City Hall). This march comes as a result of numerous unresolved challenges that have plagued the municipality, negatively impacting workers, service delivery, and the broader community of Buffalo City. The following key issues have led to this action:
1. Financial Mismanagement and Lack of Accountability: BCMM is currently under a Financial Recovery Plan. Despite this, there has been no tangible improvement in the municipality's financial situation. The most recent Auditor General’s report highlighted severe financial mismanagement, and there is no clear accountability for ensuring that financial recovery measures are being effectively implemented. Additionally, service delivery in the municipality has not improved despite the ongoing efforts under the recovery plan.
2. Corruption Within BCMM: There has been widespread corruption within BCMM, as evidenced by the visit from SCOPA, which revealed serious issues related to administrative financial misuse. This led to a lifestyle audit, with specific allegations concerning the mismanagement of COVID-19 relief funds and the ongoing failure to address the Mdantsane Swimming Pool matter. Furthermore, the municipality has ignored resolutions passed by the Municipal Public Accounts Committee (MPAC), contributing to the erosion of trust in the institution.
3. Union Bashing and Breach of Labour Rights: SAMWU is deeply concerned about the increasing attacks on the union and its members, especially in relation to Section 84(1)(a) and 85 of the Labour Relations Act. A recent incident involves the lack of consultation regarding the Implementation Transversely Project from National Treasury. This project, set to convert certain departments into entities by 1st July 2025, has been introduced without proper consultation with affected stakeholders, including the union. Furthermore, the ongoing process of organizational redesign has been carried out without input from the workers’ representatives, undermining workers' rights and the spirit of collective bargaining.
4. Non-Implementation of LLF Resolutions: SAMWU is frustrated by the employer’s failure to implement agreements made in the Local Labour Forum (LLF). For instance, despite an agreement between bargaining parties on the payment of the COVID-19 Danger Allowance, the employer has failed to honor this resolution. Additionally, there has been a failure to review key policies, some of which are only revised when they disadvantage our members, rather than being reviewed to improve working conditions.
5. Outsourcing and Privatization: SAMWU strongly opposes the continued outsourcing of essential services within BCMM. For example, the Electricity Department in Mdantsane, one of the largest units in the municipality, is being outsourced to a private company responsible for all electricity-related functions, including staffing. This is in stark contrast to how other areas, such as Qonce and East London, are managed by internal BCMM staff. Similarly, solid waste management, road maintenance, and other key services are being outsourced, leaving current BCMM employees sidelined. This pattern of outsourcing undermines the municipality's commitment to creating jobs and providing services efficiently.
6. Exploitation of EPWP Workers: SAMWU has noted with concern the exploitation of workers under the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP). When permanent posts become vacant, EPWP workers are often asked to fill these positions without receiving the corresponding benefits or being permanently employed. SAMWU demands that these vacant, funded posts be filled with permanent employees and that the EPWP programme be reviewed, with the ultimate goal of absorbing these workers into permanent positions to address the chronic staffing shortages.
7. Lack of Leadership and Declining Confidence in BCMM Administration: The ongoing issues in BCMM are a direct result of a lack of effective leadership within both the political and administrative structures of the municipality. SAMWU believes that unless there is a significant change in leadership, particularly before the 2026 Local Government Elections, BCMM risks losing its standing and confidence among residents. The recent elections showed that the municipality secured only 57% of the vote, and if the current leadership crisis is not addressed, BCMM may face further decline.
SAMWU remains committed to representing the interests of municipal workers and ensuring that the issues affecting the workers, residents, and service delivery in BCMM are addressed. The peaceful march on the 8th of April 2025 is a direct call to the BCMM leadership to take immediate action and address these critical concerns.
We call on all workers, community members, and residents of Buffalo City to join us in this march as we stand united in the fight for a better, more accountable municipality that serves the interests of its people and provides quality services for all.
Issued by SAMWU Eastern Cape
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SADTU Free State statement on the payment of third parties by Department of Education
Bricks Moloi, SADTU Free State Provincial Secretary, 07 April 2025
The South African Democratic Teachers’ Union (SADTU) in the Free State province issues this statement following the meeting held on 17 March 2025 between the Department of Education led by the MEC, Head of Department and Chief Finance Officer and Trade Unions within the PELRC, concerning the non-payment of third parties, which notable included GEMS benefits and had attracted media attention.
The Department of Education committed to settling all outstanding payments to third parties, including GEMS at the beginning of April 2025. We are pleased to confirm to our members that this commitment has been fulfilled. We further assure our members that, during the period of non-payment, their benefits were not disrupted as was communicated by the Department of Education to the Unions and through the media statement dated 18 March 2025.
However, SADTU notes with concern that in the lead-up to April 2025, GEMS sent alarming messages to members, indicating exorbitant amounts in arrears which caused panic to members and workers in general who belong to GEMS. Some members, already admitted in hospitals, faced psychological distress while others hesitated to approach healthcare providers for fear of being turned away. This unfortunate situation is unacceptable and should never happen again.
We call on our members to remain vigilant and to immediately report to the Union any ongoing medical issues or challenges with GEMS that may have arisen form this unfortunate episode.
Furthermore, the Department of Education has assured Unions that scheduled allocations to schools in May 2025 will be honoured. As SADTU, we will monitor the situation to ensure seamless continuity of teaching and learning in schools in May and beyond.
We remain steadfast in protecting the rights and interests of our members and will continue to engage with the Department to safeguard their welfare and the smooth functioning of schools.
ISSUED BY PROVINCIAL SECRETARIAT
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Greytown Hospital - Premises Cleaning Challenge
Andile Mbeje, DENISA KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Secretary, 7 April 2025
DURBAN - it has come to the notice of the office of the Democratic Nursing Organization of South Africa (DENOSA) in KwaZulu-Natal that the facility, as indicated here above, is faced with a dire situation whereby the cleaning company on site has terminated the contract for cleaning the premises. The greatest concern is that as things stand, for almost a week now, the facility has not been cleaned and that, in itself, is placing the safety/wellness of patients and staff under enormous risk of ailments and infections. One can only imagine the state of wards, corridors, casualty, medical and maternity wards including non-clinical sections.
Discussions have been held with the authorities of the Department of Health, but up to now, there is no concrete plan to avert the situation that could turn into a disaster. This development is raising a lot of questions with regard to the department’s contingency plans when such problems surface. It is thus a ‘wait and see’ situation up until a new contract is awarded by the department.
NOTING ALL OF THE ABOVE, WE AS THIS OFFICE HEREBY PROPOSE THAT;
• We hereby appeal to the Department of Health to speed up the process of sourcing a new cleaning company at the health facility in question.
• Meanwhile we have also made a proposal for temporary means to be made for cleaning to be carried out.
• Often such gaps usually lead to nurses being abused to perform non-nursing duties, a development that can never be accepted and tolerated.
• Our nurses are already faced with an alarming shortage of personnel; thus we strongly oppose any added extra duties.
• To the Department of Health, this situation must be attended to as a matter of URGENCY! Failure to comply would be tantamount to a deliberate violation of Occupational Health and Safety Regulations and Infection Control Guidelines.
END
Andile Mbeje - Provincial Secretary - 072 553 1636
DENOSA KWAZULU-NATAL - Communications and Publicity
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NEHAWU welcomes High Court Judgment against Board of Healthcare Funders on its proposal for low-cost benefit options as an alternative to NHI
Zola Saphetha, NEHAWU General Secretary, April 07, 2025
The National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union [NEHAWU] welcomes the judgment by the Pretoria High Court ruling against the Board of Healthcare Funders [BHF] and its proposal for Low-Cost Benefit Options [LCBOs] as an alternative to the National Health Insurance [NHI].
The so-called LCBOs were marketed as an affordable medical aid option for low-income earners, but in reality, they represent a step backwards in the quest for universal, equitable healthcare. These stripped-down benefit packages would have excluded the Prescribed Minimum Benefits [PMBs] — a core set of essential healthcare services that all medical schemes are legally required to provide under the Medical Schemes Act. Excluding PMBs would not only have contravened the law but also reversed years of progress in expanding access to necessary healthcare services through the regular review and improvement of PMBs.
The BHF’s proposal effectively sought to create a two-tier health system that entrenches inequality by offering second-rate healthcare to the poor while preserving high-quality care for the affluent.
This undermines the principles of Universal Health Coverage [UHC], which is based on solidarity — where the healthy subsidize the sick, and the rich contribute toward the care of the poor. Introducing a separate benefit option for low-income earners is not only discriminatory, but it dilutes the cross-subsidisation model that lies at the heart of a fair and effective health system.
The High Court ruling validates NEHAWU’s longstanding position: it is impossible to realise UHC without pooling all healthcare resources and providing services based on health needs rather than income levels.
Segregating healthcare access by income is both unjust and inefficient. It leads to medical schemes competing on the basis of benefit options rather than service quality or health outcomes, further disadvantaging the poor and entrenching preventable health disparities.
The reality is that without the implementation of the NHI, South Africa will remain trapped in a fragmented and deeply unequal healthcare system. The NHI offers the only viable path forward — a system grounded in social solidarity, equitable access, and value-based care that prioritises the health needs of the population, not their ability to pay.
It is time to abandon outdated models that commodify healthcare and instead commit, unequivocally, to building a unified, inclusive healthcare system that serves all who live in South Africa.
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Issued by NEHAWU Secretariat.
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A budget for inclusive growth and development
Cyril Ramaphosa is President of South Africa, 07 April 2025
Dear Fellow South African,
Last week, Parliament adopted the 2025 Fiscal Framework and Revenue Proposals as tabled in the Budget Speech by the Minister of Finance.
The 2025 Budget is directed at growing the economy and supporting the livelihoods of our people.
It is a critical instrument to drive development, eradicate poverty and narrow inequality. At a time of constrained economic growth and narrow fiscal space, the budget must direct sufficient resources to activities that encourage inclusive growth and lay the groundwork for sustained economic recovery.
It reflects the strategic priorities of the Government of National Unity: inclusive growth and job creation, reducing poverty and tackling the high cost of living and building a capable, ethical and developmental state.
The Budget advances Government’s commitment to uplift the material conditions of South Africans.
Once our debt repayments have been taken out, 61% of spending over the next three years has been allocated to the social wage. This includes the provision of free primary healthcare, basic and tertiary education and housing. Over the past 24 years we have implemented an indigent policy under which free water, electricity and sanitation services are provided to qualifying households.
Social grants, like the child care, old age and disability grants, are another tool for alleviating poverty. This year, the value of these grants will increase at above inflation. The Social Relief of Distress grant, which has played an important role in poverty alleviation, will also be extended for another year.
As part of improving access to healthcare, there will be a higher allocation of funding to clinics and community health centres. We are investing in the recruitment and retention of health personnel, particularly doctors and nurses, and to employ newly qualified doctors after their community service ends.
The Budget allocates substantial funds to other frontline services such as teachers, police, emergency personnel and the Border Management Authority.
Improving educational outcomes is key to community upliftment, development and producing the skills needed by our economy. Budgetary allocations have been made to support teacher training, for expanded mother-tongue bilingual education and for early reading programmes. This year sees a substantial investment in early childhood development, reflecting our commitment to establishing a solid foundation for the development of every child.
Additional funds have been allocated to public employment programmes, which play an important role in providing work opportunities at a time when economic growth is constrained.
To encourage entrepreneurship, funds have been made available to support small businesses. Adjustments are being made to the Employee Tax Incentive to further incentivise businesses to hire more young people.
South Africa’s expenditure on the social wage can only be sustained if there are higher levels of economic growth. The Budget allocates considerable resources to encourage infrastructure development, which drives growth and job creation.
Taken together, up to R1 trillion will be spent on infrastructure over the medium term. This includes the allocation in this Budget of an additional R62 billion over the next three years for road maintenance, electricity transmission lines, water and sanitation projects, school infrastructure and to support the ongoing recovery of our rail networks.
Support is also provided to other growth-enhancing measures in the medium term, including incentive programmes in automotive, business process outsourcing, special economic zones, electric vehicle production, clothing and textiles and other sectors.
The 2025 Budget makes adjustments to allocations to municipalities to enable them to address their infrastructure needs, improve service delivery and improve their revenue collection systems.
In a challenging economic environment – both locally and globally – this year’s Budget supports measures to drive growth and relieve the effects of poverty. At the same time, it aims to stabilise public finances and continue to reduce our national debt.
The Budget reflects the priorities of Government’s Medium Term Development Plan, a five-year programme of action that prioritises rapid, inclusive growth, creating a more just society and building state capacity.
At a time when our singular focus must be the South African people, we need to use the limited resources we have to work together for the common good.
With best regards,
Cyril Ramaphosa is President of South Africa
International-Solidarity
WFTU declaration on World Health Day
7 April 2025
April 7th is World Health Day. We call upon all trade unions, health unions around the world to commemorate it as it should be. With mobilizations, in all forms, against the degradation and commercialization of the public health system. For a public health system that satisfies the modern needs of the workers. For an exclusively public health system.
To say a big NO to the hospital business profit logic. To say a big NO to the huge shortages of health care staff. To say a big NO to the lack of infrastructure and technological equipment. We must say a big NO to the development of entrepreneurship, competitiveness, and profitability, because all this is dangerous for the people, in the health sector, which is saved thanks to the great sacrifice of health doctors, nurses, and paramedics.
The bourgeois parties in the European Union recently voted to make the people pay 800 billion euros in the war economy. Now they have decided to grab the reserves of the social security funds, about 10 trillion, to finance the war monopolies with them as well. This will also have a big impact on the workers' social security rights, trying to raise the retirement age to 74, by attacking pensions, etc.
The health unions and the working class as a whole have fought and are fighting for health as a social good and not a commodity. Let us recall the struggles of the pandemic period with the slogan "covered mouths have a voice". The battles that were fought despite intimidation, authoritarianism, and repression by governments.
When capital talks about " wasteful spending" and " rationalisation " of expenditure, " saving money " in health, behind all this is the direction of reducing state expenditure on people's health. This means the people have to dig deep into their pockets and pay a high price to private health care, which earns billions. Along with this, the medicine prices have skyrocketed since they are controlled by the big monopolies that produce whatever they see as profitable, leaving even countries in need without aid (remember COVID-19, where vaccines were exempted from certain countries, and people were dying).
It is necessary for the trade unions, the class-oriented workers' movement, to fight to put the brake on their plans. We must come forward and demand all that is needed to match benefits with popular strata's needs in prevention, treatment, recovery, rehabilitation, and pharmaceutical care, provided by the state, free of charge.
The logic of cost-benefit for the interests of a handful of business groups cannot prevail in the health system. That is why we are clearly saying that we should get rid of the system of exploitation in order to solve the people's problems.
We are intensifying the struggle against the policy that treats our health and human life as a cost, until it is finally overturned. We intensify the struggle to make health a guaranteed social good, not a commodity.
For a universal, exclusively public, and free Health-Welfare system.
• Full, adequate, exclusive state funded public health-welfare units.
• Massive recruitment of permanent, full-time staff in all sectors and specialties in public hospitals, health centres, and other health and welfare units.
• The permanent employment of all workers working on temporary, flexible employment relationships (contract workers, auxiliary workers) without terms and conditions. No dismissal of contract workers in cleaning, security, catering. To be hired with permanent employment and full rights.
• Full staffing of the rapid intervention units with permanent staff as needed. Renew their fleet by deploying the necessary number of ground, water and air ambulances.
• No involvement of NGOs, contractors, private individuals in Health - Welfare - Special Education and Rehabilitation.
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Korean unions welcome decision to uphold impeachment of President Yoon
4 April, 2025
Accompanied by a cheering crowd including trade unionists, the Korean constitutional court has upheld the decision of the national assembly to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol.
Accompanied by a cheering crowd including trade unionists, the Korean constitutional court has upheld the decision of the national assembly to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol.
The eight-panel constitutional court unanimously ruled that Yoon had violated the Korean constitution and failed to comply with the procedural requirement of proclaiming martial law. The judges said the acts of Yoon had damaged democracy and people’s political rights.
On the night of 4 December 2024, Yoon proclaimed martial law, banning all political activity, accusing opposition leaders from Democratic Party of paralyzing the National Assembly. He ordered the military to expel parliamentarians from the National Assembly building, when a voting to end the martial law was going on.
On 14 December, the National Assembly successfully passed a motion to impeach Yoon with the support of more than two-third parliamentarians. After today’s constitutional court decision, which is not appealable, a new presidential election will be held within 60 days.
In the past four months, IndustriALL Global affiliates Korean Metal Workers’ Union (KMWU) and Federation of Korean Metalworkers' Trade Unions (FKMTU) have been mobilizing members to participate in demonstrations to demand immediate removal of Yoon from the presidential office. KMWU has organized four national strikes for the democratic struggle.
In the demonstrations, the unions urged the constitutional court to impeach the President and his rebel group immediately, calling for realizing a world of democracy, equality and peace. Yoon has launched a series of attacks against trade unions since he assumed office in 2022.
In 2023, the Korea's National Intelligence Service raided the office of Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), alleging two unionists from KWMU and another KCTU affiliate of violating the National Security Act. The police violently attacked FKMTU secretary-general Kim Jun-yeong during a sit-in protest at the POSCO steel mill, imprisoning him from June to November 2023.
In the same year, the Korean police investigated 950 officials from the Korean Construction Workers’ Union, leading to self-immolation of Yang Hoe-Dong. Yoon also issued an administrative order to force protesting truckers demanding the minimum freight rate to return to work, failing to do so the unionists could be jailed or penalized.
KMWU president JANG Chang-year says:
“Ultimately, the last bulwark of defense against dictatorship and the rise of the far right is the labour movement. Only when the working class around the world stands united can we defend ourselves. Trump is launching an attack against the working class in the United States and across the globe. Workers around the world can win only by building a united front and a united struggle.
We now send our spirit of struggle from South Korea to the workers of Türkiye. We offer our international solidarity to the struggle of Turkish trade unions standing up against Erdoğan’s dictatorship.”
The FKMTU president, Kim Jun Young, says:
"For 123 days, since the beginning of martial law, it has been a time filled with anxiety and hardship for the citizens of Korea. But just like eight years ago, it was also a moment that reaffirmed the democratic resilience of Korea. It was also a time when we confirmed that forces denying the republic system of Korea have taken root throughout various parts of society.
"Although civil war was averted, new challenges have emerged for workers. FKMTU is now faced with the task of thoroughly clearing away the ruthless, lawless and irrational labour repression and labour policies of the Yoon administration. We are also tasked with pushing through laws and policies that reflect the urgent demands of workers. During the years under the Yoon administration, we have been too preoccupied with defense to achieve these goals — now, we must gather our strength again and push forward."
IndustriALL general secretary Atle Høie says:
“IndustriALL commends the verdict of the constitutional court that defends democracy and rule of law in Korea. We congratulate KMWU and FKMTU for the successful campaign to remove the anti-union president from office, the active involvement of our affiliates shows the key role of independent trade unions in defending democracy and rule of law.”
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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