Taking COSATU Today Forward Special Bulletin, 22 May 2026 #CosatuRedFridays
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
22 May 2026
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Contents
- Workers Parliament: Back to Basics!
- Compensation Fund strengthens anti-fraud controls and records a significant reduction in fraud losses
- South Africa
- Statement on the International Court of Justice’s confirmation of the right to strike under Convention 87
- National Treasury on Jobs Fund launching 13th Funding Round
- International-Workers’ Solidarity!
- ITUC welcomes ICJ confirmation that the right to strike is protected under ILO Convention 87
- A historic victory for workers—and for education unions worldwide
Workers’ Parliament-Back2Basics#ClassWar
Compensation Fund strengthens anti-fraud controls and records a significant reduction in fraud losses
21 May 2026
The Compensation Fund (CF), an entity of the Department of Employment and Labour, notes with serious concern recent media reports highlighting fraud-related losses and governance challenges within the Fund. These reports, which refer to fraudulent bank account changes and intercepted payments, point to historical control weaknesses that created opportunities for abuse.
The Fund wishes to clarify aspects of the matter that are not fully reflected in the article as follows:
The Fund acknowledges fraud losses over recent financial periods; however, it is critical to emphasise that these losses have been brought to light largely through the Fund's own strengthened audit, oversight, and investigative processes, reflecting a maturing system that is increasingly capable of detecting, exposing, and responding to fraud rather than allowing it to remain hidden.
While these matters are of concern and are taken seriously, it is important to emphasise that the issues being reported are largely the result of intensified internal oversight, strengthened audit processes, and improved detection capabilities within the Fund. These developments reflect an organisation that is actively identifying and addressing historical weaknesses, with a clear focus on strengthening systems, enhancing accountability, and protecting the resources entrusted to it for the benefit of workers and their dependents.
Acting Director-General (ADG) of the Department of Employment and Labour, Ms Jacky Molisane, highlighted the gravity of the situation and the urgency of corrective action, stating that any diversion of funds intended for injured workers is unacceptable and demands decisive intervention.
The ADG further clarified that the exposure of fraud should not be interpreted as institutional inaction, but rather as evidence of improved transparency and enhanced internal controls. According to Ms Molisane, strengthened audit processes, better monitoring systems, and increased scrutiny have enabled the Fund to identify fraudulent activities more effectively, thereby laying the foundation for accountability and reform.
Encouragingly, the Compensation Fund has already demonstrated measurable progress in reducing fraud-related losses. Reported fraud losses declined significantly from R32 million in the 2023/24 financial year and R41 million in 2024/25 to approximately R3 million in 2025/26, representing a reduction of about 92%.
This substantial decline reflects the tangible impact of strengthened internal controls, improved verification procedures, and targeted anti-fraud interventions. It also indicates that the Fund's corrective measures are beginning to close systemic gaps that were previously exploited for criminal activities.
A central component of the Fund's reform programme has been the introduction and expansion of biometric identity management controls, which represent a significant advancement in safeguarding high-risk system processes. Implemented in October 2025, these controls use unique physical identifiers, such as fingerprint or other biometric data, to verify the identity of officials accessing critical systems and performing sensitive transactions. Unlike traditional password-based systems, which can be shared, stolen, or manipulated, biometric controls ensure that access is strictly linked to an individual user, thereby significantly reducing the risk of unauthorised system entry.
In addition, the biometric system creates a detailed and tamper-resistant audit trail, allowing every action within high-risk functions, such as changes to banking details or payment processing, to be traced back to a specific individual. This has strengthened accountability, improved oversight, and enhanced the Fund's ability to investigate irregularities.
The system also reinforces segregation of duties by ensuring that different stages of a transaction are handled by distinct, verified individuals, thereby reducing opportunities for collusion or internal fraud. Since the implementation of biometric controls, the Fund has reported no incidents of fraudulent banking-detail changes, highlighting the effectiveness of this technology in mitigating one of the most significant historical risk areas.
In addition to biometric enhancements, the Fund has strengthened its audit and monitoring systems to detect irregular transactions in real time, improved verification processes for beneficiaries and banking details, and introduced digital platforms to reduce reliance on manual processing, which is inherently more vulnerable to manipulation.
These reforms directly respond to audit findings that identified weaknesses in documentation, control processes, and payment verification. The Fund has also intensified collaboration with law enforcement authorities and financial institutions to ensure that fraud cases are thoroughly investigated and prosecuted.
The Compensation Fund has made notable progress not only in detection but also in recovery of misappropriated funds. Through coordinated efforts with banking institutions and the Asset Forfeiture Unit, the Fund has recovered approximately R46 million linked to fraudulent activities.
In addition, preservation orders have been secured in nine finalised cases, with a combined value of R22.9 million, ensuring that funds linked to criminal activities are frozen and safeguarded pending legal processes. These recovery efforts form a critical part of restoring financial integrity and ensuring that stolen resources are returned for their intended purpose, supporting injured workers and their dependents.
Ms Molisane issued a strong warning to individuals involved in fraudulent activities against the Fund, stressing that such actions constitute not only financial misconduct but also a direct attack on vulnerable workers and their families.
She emphasised that the fund would continue to pursue offenders through criminal, civil, and administrative channels, working closely with institutions such as the South African Police Service, the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, the National Prosecuting Authority, the Financial Intelligence Centre, and the Asset Forfeiture Unit to ensure that justice is served.
The Department reiterated its zero-tolerance stance, affirming that fraud against the Compensation Fund undermines social protection systems and will not be tolerated under any circumstances.
The fund confirmed that fraud cases are actively under investigation, matters are being referred for prosecution, and civil recovery processes are ongoing to reclaim misappropriated funds. These actions are part of a broader effort to strengthen consequence management, reinforce accountability, and rebuild institutional credibility.
While acknowledging ongoing challenges, including historical audit disclaimers and legacy system weaknesses, the fund emphasised that sustained and targeted reforms are being implemented to stabilise and modernise the Fund.
Ms Molisane reaffirmed the Department's commitment to restoring public confidence, highlighting that transparency, accountability, and sustained corrective action are central to rebuilding trust.
The Compensation Fund emphasised that its core mandate remains unchanged: to protect workers injured on duty, ensure timely compensation and medical support, and safeguard public resources for their intended beneficiaries. Every reform currently being implemented is directed at strengthening these objectives and ensuring that the Fund operates with integrity, efficiency, and accountability.
The Compensation Fund will continue to enhance its systems, strengthen oversight over high-risk processes, and work collaboratively with law enforcement and other stakeholders to prevent, detect, and respond decisively to fraud. The ongoing reforms highlight a clear commitment to protecting the dignity, livelihoods, and rights of workers, while ensuring that public funds are managed responsibly and transparently in the service of the South African public.
The Compensation Fund reaffirms its unwavering commitment to confronting fraud with urgency, firmness, and transparency. The Fund will continue to strengthen its control environment, intensify detection capabilities, and pursue all available legal avenues to ensure that those responsible for wrongdoing are held fully accountable. At the same time, every reform and intervention remain firmly grounded in the Fund's core purpose: to protect the rights, dignity, and livelihoods of injured workers and their dependents.
The Fund is resolute in restoring and maintaining public confidence and will not relent in its efforts to safeguard public resources and ensure that every rand serves its intended purpose.
For media inquiries, please contact:
Teboho Thejane
Departmental Spokesperson
082 697 0694/ teboho....@labour.gov.za
-ENDS-
Issued by: Department of Employment and Labour
South Africa #ClassSolidarity
Statement on the International Court of Justice’s confirmation of the right to strike under Convention 87
21 May 2026
The Department of Employment and Labour welcomes the International Court of Justice's historic confirmation that the right to strike is inherently contained in International Labour Organisation (ILO) Convention 87 (1948) on Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise. The Court delivered this landmark advisory opinion on 21 May 2026, resolving a long-standing disagreement among ILO constituents that had persisted for over three decades.
South Africa ratified this Convention in 1995, shortly after the advent of democracy, affirming our commitment to international labour standards and the protection of workers' fundamental rights. Flowing from this foundation, the right to strike in South Africa is a fundamental constitutional right guaranteed to every worker under Section 23(2)(c) of our Constitution.
The ICJ was seized of this matter following a dispute that had paralysed the ILO's supervisory machinery. For over thirty years, Employers' Group consistently challenged the authority of the ILO's Committee of Experts on the Application of Conventions and Recommendations (CEACR), which had long held that “the right to strike is an intrinsic corollary to the right to freedom of association and that, as such, it is recognized and protected by Convention No. 87."
The dispute intensified in 2012 when the Employers' Group walked out of the Committee on the Application of Standards at the International Labour Conference, objecting to expert engagement and demanding a tripartite political discussion. This impasse ultimately led to the ILO's request for an advisory opinion, the first such request in nearly a century. South Africa was among the first states to support the Workers' argument that the Right to Strike is protected under Convention No. 87, notwithstanding its absence from the treaty's express text, as a necessary element of trade union activities and programmes.
Although the ICJ's advisory opinion, which sought to resolve the dispute between Workers and Employers, in particular, is non-binding, it still carries immense legal authority and shapes international labour law. The Court's ruling provides clear guidance on the interpretation of Convention No. 87 under Articles 31 and 32 of the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties, which require interpretation “in good faith in accordance with the ordinary meaning to be given to the terms … in their context and in the light of its object and purpose."
At the domestic level, the decision reaffirms our country's constitutional commitment to protect the rights of workers. As such, this landmark interpretation further affirms a principle long upheld by workers' rights defenders worldwide: that the ability to withdraw labour is indispensable to genuine freedom of association.
In reaching this conclusion, the ICJ drew significantly on legal arguments and historical context advanced by, amongst others, the Republic of South Africa. South Africa demonstrated exceptional leadership in placing the original intent and ordinary meaning of Convention 87 before the Court, showing that the right to strike is not a separate or optional provision but an essential component of the Convention's protective framework.
Through its detailed submissions, South Africa highlighted how the drafting history, the structure of the Convention, and subsequent ILO supervisory practice all point to the same conclusion: without the right to strike, trade union action loses its core efficacy. The Court's endorsement of this reasoning represents a major victory for workers everywhere, particularly in contexts where collective bargaining is weak, or repression is high.
We extend our deep appreciation to the Government and legal team of South Africa for their principled and rigorous advocacy. Their contribution will resonate in labour rights jurisprudence for decades to come, reinforcing the rule of law and the dignity of work across all regions and sectors.
Finally, the ICJ's ruling now provides clear guidance to all States, employers, and courts: ratification of Convention 87 entails an obligation to protect the right to strike. We hope that all States will align their domestic law and practice with this authoritative interpretation. The ICJ's advisory opinion will also resolve the long-standing impasse that has frustrated the ILO's supervisory mechanism for many years, allowing the Committee on the Application of Standards to resume its vital work without further obstruction.
South Africa remains committed to standing on the side of the world's most vulnerable, advancing the tenets of international law, and supporting the rules-based multilateral system.
For media inquiries, please contact:
Teboho Thejane
Departmental Spokesperson
082 697 0694/ teboho....@labour.gov.za
-ENDS-
Issued by: Department of Employment and Labour
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National Treasury on Jobs Fund launching 13th Funding Round
22 May 2026
Jobs fund opens 13th Funding Round, catalysing demand-led growth in the green and informal economy
As
South Africa continues to grapple with persistently high unemployment and widening inequality, the National Treasury’s Jobs Fund has officially opened its 13th Funding Round, calling for bold, innovative solutions that can unlock scalable, sustainable employment.
Under the theme 'Catalysing Demand-Led Growth in the Green and Informal Economy', the new funding round will be open from 18 May to 30 June 2026.
The Fund seeks to partner with experienced intermediaries across the private, public, and non-profit sectors to accelerate job creation in high-potential areas of the economy, with a strong focus on the green and informal sectors. South Africa’s labour market
remains under significant strain. As of Q1 2026, the Quarterly Labour Force Survey showed the unemployment rate stood at 32.7%. Youth and women continue to face the highest barriers to entry, reinforcing the urgent need for targeted, scalable interventions
that can absorb labour and stimulate inclusive growth.
The Jobs Fund’s 13th Funding Round is a catalytic response to these challenges. By leveraging the match-funding model, the Fund aims to crowd in private and non-profit sector investment, de-risk innovation, and support solutions that can deliver measurable
employment outcomes at scale. Since its inception in 2011, the Jobs Fund has committed R7.7 billion in public funding, leveraging an additional R15.7 billion in matched contributions from partners. This collaborative approach has supported over 180 projects
across 12 funding rounds, resulting in more than 343,000 jobs and internships created, and over 418,000 work-seekers and entrepreneurs trained. Notably, 66% of programme participants have been youth and 58% women, with 98% from previously disadvantaged backgrounds.
The 13th Funding Round builds on this track record by targeting sectors with strong labour absorption potential and long-term sustainability. In particular, the green economy presents a significant opportunity to drive job creation while advancing South Africa’s
transition to a more sustainable, low-carbon future. At the same time, the informal economy, which employs over 5.7 million people, remains underdeveloped relative to other emerging markets, highlighting the need for innovative approaches to unlock its full
potential. Despite these opportunities, both sectors face structural barriers, including limited access to finance, skills shortages, regulatory constraints, and market access challenges.
The Jobs Fund is therefore seeking proposals that directly address these constraints through innovative, scalable, and implementable solutions. “The scale of South Africa’s unemployment challenge requires a fundamentally different approach, one that moves beyond
traditional interventions and actively catalyses new markets, new industries, and new ways of working. Through the 13th Funding Round, we are looking to partner with organisations that are responding to today’s employment challenges and are actively shaping
the future of work in South Africa. This is about unlocking investment, enabling innovation, and delivering sustainable impact at scale,” said Najwah AllieEdries, Head of the Jobs Fund.
Applications for the 13th Funding Round are open to sector intermediaries with a proven track record of implementation and the ability to deliver measurable results within a three-year period. All proposals must demonstrate innovation, financial sustainability,
and a clear pathway to job creation, with a requirement for matched funding to ensure shared commitment and impact. The minimum grant to be allocated for successful applicants is R5 million. The funding round will operate on a competitive basis, with only
the most impactful and feasible proposals selected for support. While there is a strong focus on the green and informal economies, the Jobs Fund remains open to high-quality proposals from other sectors that demonstrate significant job creation potential.
Applications close on 30 June 2026 at 15h00. For more information on the application process and eligibility criteria, or to submit a proposal, applicants are encouraged to visit the Jobs Fund website or contact jobs...@treasury.gov.za.
As South Africa looks to accelerate economic recovery and build a more inclusive future, the 13th Funding Round represents a critical opportunity to harness innovation, mobilise investment, and create meaningful employment at scale. END About the Jobs Fund
The Jobs Fund was established by the National Treasury in June 2011 to support innovative initiatives and approaches to sustainable job creation. It is administered through the Government Technical Advisory Centre (GTAC).
The R9 billion fund operates on challenge fund principles, with all allocations made on a competitive and transparent basis. The Jobs Fund is not a mass employment programme, nor does it seek to address the long-term structural causes of unemployment in isolation.
Rather, it provides a targeted programme of support for effective labour market interventions that result in sustainable employment creation.
Media Enquiries:
Jobs Fund Communications
E-mail: jobs...@treasury.gov.za
Issued by National Treasury
International-Solidarity
ITUC welcomes ICJ confirmation that the right to strike is protected under ILO Convention 87
21 May 2026
The ITUC welcomes the Advisory Opinion of the International Court of Justice, confirming that the right to strike is protected under International Labour Organization Convention No. 87 on Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise.
The International Court of Justice has an important constitutional role to play in the institutional governance of the ILO, and the Court has effectively discharged this role making an invaluable contribution to the ILO and multilateralism more broadly.
The Court’s opinion reaffirms decades of consistent international labour jurisprudence and restores legal certainty and credibility within the international labour standards system.
The right to strike is an essential component of freedom of association and a fundamental means through which workers defend their interests, secure decent work and contribute to democratic societies.
The ITUC stresses that today’s opinion is important not only for workers and trade unions, but also for governments and responsible businesses. Legal clarity and predictability on such a critical aspect of international labour law and the ILO standards supervisory system are indispensable for stable industrial relations and effective social dialogue.
The advisory opinion is therefore a victory for the ILO and its governance structures.
The follow-up to this ruling will have to be carried out by the ILO. The ITUC expects that all constituents will undertake this exercise in a constructive spirit and in good faith, with the aim of ensuring that the ILO supervisory system fully resumes its work in guiding governments in their application of Convention 87, including with regard to the right to strike, while continuing to benefit from the ILO’s unique expertise and tripartite structure.
“We thank the world court for this advisory opinion. The Court has confirmed that international law supports the longstanding understanding shared not only by unions, but across large parts of the ILO system for decades."ITUC General Secretary Luc Triangle
“This is an important moment for legal certainty, for social justice and for the credibility of the international labour standards system.”
The ITUC calls on all ILO constituents to move forward in a spirit of constructive cooperation and renewed commitment to freedom of association, collective bargaining and social dialogue.
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A historic victory for workers—and for education unions worldwide
Trade union rights are human rights Trade union rights, 22 May 2026
Today marks a historic victory for workers everywhere—and for education unions across the globe. The confirmation that the right to strike is protected under Convention No. 87 of the ILO affirms what education unions and Education International have long defended: freedom of association is meaningless without the power to act collectively, without the right to strike.
Education International has stood at the forefront of efforts to defend and advance the right to strike. From classrooms to national capitals to the ILO itself, education unions have consistently demonstrated that the ability to take collective action is essential to protecting quality public education, good working conditions, and the dignity of the profession.
This ruling validates not only legal arguments—but the daily struggles of educators who organise, mobilise, and, when necessary, strike to defend their students, their professions, and their communities.
At a time when educators face:
chronic underfunding
increasing privatisation
stressful working conditions
and growing attacks on trade union rights
this decision strengthens our collective capacity and resolve to push back and to build equitable, inclusive, and well-funded public education systems.
Education International and its affiliates welcome this decision as a reaffirmation of the ILO supervisory system and multilateralism, and as a powerful signal that workers’ voices cannot be silenced.
Now, the responsibility lies with governments.
We call on all ILO member states to:
Fully respect and implement this ruling
Remove unjustified restrictions on the right to strike
Engage in genuine, good-faith social dialogue with education unions
For Education International and its members, the right to strike is not just a principle—it is a tool to defend public education and social justice worldwide.
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Portugal: 25,000 teachers take to the streets to demand respect and good working conditions
Achieving Sustainable Development Goal 4 Go public! Fund education, 21 May 2026
Around 25,000 teachers marched in Lisbon on 16 May in a major national demonstration organised by Education International member organisation FENPROF. Education professionals from across the country came together to deliver a powerful message: “We are teachers. We shape the future. We demand recognition NOW!”
The protest reflected growing dissatisfaction with the way in which the review of the Statute of the Teaching Profession is being conducted. According to FENPROF, while this process provides a crucial opportunity to enhance the status of the profession and address the worsening teacher shortage, the Government is failing to act.
Teachers denounced the lack of concrete measures from the Ministry of Education and the Government to address the serious problems affecting the profession. These include career devaluation, excessive workloads, job insecurity, difficulties in accessing retirement, and the absence of policies designed to encourage young people to join the profession.
Throughout the demonstration, teachers demanded policies that give the profession the recognition and respect it deserves, good working conditions, and a revision of the career structure that properly values educators and keeps professionals in schools. Teachers also reaffirmed their commitment to public education as a fundamental pillar of democracy, equal opportunities, and social cohesion.
Participants also pledged active support for the general strike scheduled for 3 June against the labour law reform that the Government continues to pursue despite strong opposition from workers.
The demonstration was a powerful display of unity and determination by Portuguese education professionals in defence of their rights and the future of public education.
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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