Taking COSATU Today Forward, 13 April 2026 #CosatuMayDay2026
Norman Mampane
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COSATU TODAY COSATU Call Center Contacts: 010 002 2590 #COSATU National May Day will be celebrated at Polokwane, Limpopo on May 1 #ClassWar #Cosatu40 #SACTU70 #ClassStruggle “Build Working Class Unity for Economic Liberation towards Socialism” #Back2Basics #JoinCOSATUNow #ClassConsciousness |
Taking COSATU Today Forward
‘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
13 April 2026
“Build Working Class Unity for Economic Liberation towards Socialism”
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Contents
- Workers Parliament: Back to Basics!
- Media accreditation for COSATU May Day celebrations officially open
- Stakeholders and interested parties invited to make written and/or oral submissions on the Special Appropriation Bill [B3 – 2026].
- South Africa
- COSATU applauds the revised electricity tariff relief offer for Samancor Chrome and Glencore-Merafe Chrome Venture
- SADTU notes the publishing of the Draft new History Curriculum for Grades 4–12 for public comment.
- International-Workers’ Solidarity!
- WFTU condemnation statement on the arrest of Başaran Aksu, organiser of the Independent Miners’ Union of Turkey
Workers’ Parliament-Back2Basics
Media accreditation for COSATU May Day celebrations officially open
Zanele Sabela, COSATU Spokesperson, 08 April 2026
The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) has officially opened media accreditation applications for Workers’ Day celebrations on 1 May 2026. The Federation will continue with its tradition of hosting celebrations across the country, with the national rally to be held at Old Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane.
The President of COSATU, Zingiswa Losi will deliver the keynote address, with messages of support from leaders of Alliance Partners: the African National Congress (ANC), South African Communist Party (SACP) and South African National Civic Organisation (SANCO).
COSATU National Office bearers will lead provincial commemorations, alongside leaders of affiliated trade unions and members of the Federation’s Central Executive Committee (CEC).
Applications to cover the national rally may be submitted to mam...@cosatu.org.za or non...@cosatu.org.za.
Alternatively, an application form can be completed via this link:
Media accreditation for COSATU May Day celebrations officially open – Fill out form
Applications to cover provincial rallies can be sent to the following contacts:
1. Western Cape- Mbekweni Sport Stadium (Paarl) at 10:00
Malvern de Bruyn 060 977 9027 or Cleopatra Kakaza 072 312 6822
2. Gauteng - Tsakane Stadium (Brakpan) at 10:00
Louisa Modikwe 082 297 2659 or Itumeleng Moloantoa 071 873 5238
3. Free State- Bultfontein Stadium (Bultfontein) at 10:00
Tiisetso Mahlatsi on 077 607 3012 or Mongezi Mbelwane on 072 308 7658
4. KwaZulu Natal Curries Fountain Stadium (Durban) at 10:00
Edwin Mkhize 082 339 7756 or Khaliphile Cotoza 082 339 5760
5. Mpumalanga- Kamagugu Stadium (Mbombela) at 10:00
Thabo Mokoena 082 799 5699 or James Mahlabane 064 753 9055
6. Northern Cape- Open Air Arena (Galeshewe) at 10:00
Thandi Makapela 079 481 9077
7. North West- Olympia Stadium (Rustenburg) at 10:00
Kabelo Kgoro 067 410 4696
8. Eastern Cape - Nangoa Jebe Hall – Gqeberha, Orient Theatre (kuGompo) – Buffalo City, Tobi Kula Indoor Sports Centre (Komani) and Lusikisiki College Great Hall at 10:00
Mkhawuleli Maleki 082 339 5482
Issued by COSATU
Zanele Sabela (COSATU Spokesperson)
Mobile: 079 287 5788 / 077 600 6639
Email: zan...@cosatu.org.za
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Stakeholders and interested parties invited to make written and/or oral submissions on the Special Appropriation Bill [B3 – 2026].
The Select Committee on Appropriations invites stakeholders and interested parties to make written and/or oral submissions on the Special Appropriation Bill [B3 – 2026]. The Bill was introduced by the Minister of Finance on 25 February 2026. The Money Bills and Related Matters Act, No. 13 of 2018, requires Parliament to conduct public hearings and report on all Bills.
The closing date for written submissions, or to indicate your intention to make an oral presentation, is 14:00 on Friday, 24 April 2026. Public hearings on the Bill will be held virtually by the Select Committee on Appropriations on Tuesday, 28 April 2026 at 09:00.
Submissions must be sent to the Committee Secretariat: Mr Lubabalo Nodada at Lno...@parliament.gov.za or Ms Estelle Grunewald at egrun...@parliament.gov.za.
South Africa #ClassSolidarity
COSATU applauds the revised electricity tariff relief offer for Samancor Chrome and Glencore-Merafe Chrome Venture
Matthew Parks, COSATU Parliamentary Coordinator, 10 April 2026
The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) applauds the revised electricity tariff relief offer by Eskom for embattled ferrochrome producers, Samancor Chrome and Glencore-Merafe Chrome Venture. The 62 cents per kWh charge responds to the dire impact of the increasingly unaffordable price of electricity upon these heavy intensive users by providing lower tariffs to enable their stabilisation and turnaround as well as reopening previously closed smelters.
This progressive intervention resolves the imminent threat of the companies’ Section 189 retrenchments which would have seen thousands of jobs lost. Once approved by the National Electricity Regulator of South Africa (NERSA) it will provide welcome relief to workers at these companies whilst simultaneously enabling them to reopen previously mothballed smelters. This can see the creation of 11 400 direct and over 100 000 indirect jobs along the value chain and in host communities. It is critical these remaining processes be expedited and concluded, including the immediate withdrawal of the Section 189 retrenchment notices.
COSATU applauds the commitments by the parties to find solutions and provide space for further engagements on a sustainable permanent solution for a long festering crisis that has seen many smelters close, workers retrenched and communities plunged into poverty. We applaud the tireless efforts of the sectors’ unions, in particular the National Union of Mineworkers and the National Union of Metalworkers and Solidarity; Eskom, the African National Congress led government, and especially the Presidency and the Minister for Electricity and Energy, Dr. K. Ramokgopa, and the affected companies.
Similar interventions are now urgently needed for Mozal and Transalloys to save these equally critical companies, jobs and value chains.
Key to finding a sustainable long-term solution is to provide Eskom the necessary support to plug its many financial holes, from corruption to wasteful expenditure, cable theft and infrastructure vandalism, and most critically to ensuring that all electricity consumers are moved to pre-paid meters. This needs to include a comprehensive package of interventions to arrest the crisis of municipal debt owed to Eskom currently over R100 billion and increasing at an alarming rate of R20 billion per annum.
Eskom cannot be sustained nor end its dependence upon unaffordable above inflation tariff hikes, unless all consumers pay for electricity consumed. Improved daily revenue will enable Eskom and municipalities to increase the allocation of free electricity to indigent households, lower tariffs whilst ramping up maintenance and investments in new generation, transmission and distribution infrastructure.
Whilst welcoming this jobs-saving agreement it is sacrosanct that all parties honour their agreed obligations, in particular the Samancor Chrome and Glencore-Merafe Chrome’s commitment to cancelling retrenchments proceedings. We cannot afford to see a single worker added to the already dangerously high unemployment rate of 41.1%.
Key to unlocking the economy and achieving the 3% growth rate necessary to slashing unemployment, is an affordable electricity tariff regime. Working- and middle-class families need to see the price of electricity become affordable once again. Lower prices will help workers take care of their families’ needs and free money to stimulate economic growth.
This is a matter that requires urgent prioritisation by the most senior leadership of government and industry. More so given the current global economic chaos and the skyrocketing international oil and fuel prices.
Issued by COSATU
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SADTU notes the publishing of the Draft new History Curriculum for Grades 4–12 for public comment.
Nomusa Cembi, SADTU National Media Officer, 10 April 2026
The South African Democratic Teachers’ Union (SADTU) notes the release of the draft History curriculum for Grades 4 to 12 for public comment as a progressive and timely intervention in strengthening the education system.
SADTU has long advocated for the decolonisation of education and the History curriculum. For far too long, History in South Africa has been taught from a colonial, Eurocentric perspective while ignoring the African perspective. We hope the draft History curriculum is a step towards addressing this imbalance.
SADTU has not only called for a history curriculum with an African perspective but has also advocated for the subject to be made compulsory in schools. This is to foster a national identity, social cohesion, encourage the understanding of diverse cultures and societies and to help learners understand and appreciate the world around them and to provide a sense of identity, empathy, and critical thinking
SADTU will submit its comments on the draft and will ensure that the final curriculum is responsive, balanced, and reflective of the aspirations of South Africans.
SADTU remains committed to collaborating with all stakeholders to advance quality public education and to ensure that History education contributes to building a just, equitable, and united South Africa.
ISSUED BY: SADTU Secretariat
International-Solidarity
by WFTU HQ, 12 April 2026
WFTU condemnation statement on the arrest of Başaran Aksu, organiser of the Independent Miners’ Union of Turke
The World Federation of Trade Unions condemns the arrest of Başaran Aksu, organiser of the Independent Miners’ Union of Turkey on the eve of the scheduled march to Ankara on Monday, April 13, with demands for the reinstatement of the workers fired by Limak
Holding, the payment of unpaid wages and indemnities, the abolition of the imposition of unpaid leave, and the provision of a working environment in accordance with work safety regulations.
The march was initiated by Bağımsız Maden-İş together with the workers of Yunus Emre Thermal Power Plant and Doruk Mining, belonging to the conglomerate
Yıldızlar SSS.
The arrest of Başaran Aksu is recorded after the arrest of trade unionists and residents of İkizköy in the framework of their struggles to protect the Akbelen Forest and its appropriation by the company which will result in its exploitation and destruction.
The arrest of Başaran Aksu is an attack aimed at preventing this march and the rightful demands of the mine workers and the İkizköy residents. The WFTU demands the immediate release of the arrested militants and the satisfaction of their just demands.
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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