Taking COSATU Today Forward Special Bulletin, 17 March 2026
Norman Mampane
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COSATU TODAY COSATU Call Center Contacts: 010 002 2590 #COSATU wishes #SAMWU 13th National Congress successful deliberations at Mbombela #Cosatu40 #SACTU70 #ClassStruggle “Build Working Class Unity for Economic Liberation towards Socialism” #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
17 March 2026
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Contents
- Workers Parliament: Back to Basics!
- COSATU celebrates the removal of Sipho Sono as CEPPWAWU’s administrator - again
- COSATU celebrates the removal of Sipho Sono as CEPPWAWU’s administrator - again
- NUM Matlosana Region to embark on a protected strike at AFRIMAT over wage deadlock and attack on medical benefits
- COSATU Mpumalanga supports SATAWU Picket Action in Gert Sibande Region
- South Africa
- COSATU mourns the passing of former SACTWU 1st Deputy President, Beauty Zibula
- POPCRU wishes SAMWU successful 13th National Congress
- SACP wishes SAMWU a successful 13th National Congress
- International-Workers’ Solidarity!
- Myanmar: trade unions continue defending workers despite repression
Workers’ Parliament-Back2Basics
COSATU celebrates the removal of Sipho Sono as CEPPWAWU’s administrator - again
Zanele Sabela, COSATU Spokesperson, 17 March 2026
The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) and its resilient Affiliate, the Chemical, Energy, Paper, Printing, Wood and Allied Workers' Union (CEPPWAWU), are once again celebrating a court ruling against the union’s now former administrator, Mr. Sipho Sono.
On 28 January, the Labour Court ordered the removal of Sono as administrator of CEPPWAWU. To our surprise, the failed business rescue specialist appealed the ruling in an attempt to extend what COSATU and CEPPAWAWU consider a dark chapter in the union’s 27-year existence.
CEPPWAWU was initially put under administration by the Registrar of Labour Relations in June 2020, following a failure to manage its own affairs since 2018. The first administrator appointed by the Registrar was axed after members of the union expressed dissatisfaction with her poor performance.
Sono was subsequently brought in as an interim administrator for six months, before he was eventually appointed. His marching orders couldn’t have been simpler – appoint an experienced facilitator to convene CEPPWAWU’s regional and national congresses as per its constitution and ultimately elect a new leadership for the union. For his part, Sono would be required to compile audited financial statements from the year ending 2018 onwards.
The congresses were to be convened and concluded by 30 September 2023, after which the control, management and affairs of the union would be handed over to the new union leadership on expiry of Sono’s term on 12 December 2023. But Sono repeatedly failed to deliver on his mandate, prompting the Registrar to petition court to have him removed.
Among the Registrar’s concerns was Sono’s inability to compile and finalise the union’s audited financial statements. Consequently, audited financial statements for the years ending 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025 are still outstanding. Sono has always maintained there were no funds to compile and finalise the financial statements. However, the Labour Court found this to be untrue because CEPPWAWU Investments had offered him a loan with conditions meant to keep him accountable and transparent.
The Registrar was also aggrieved by Sono’s failure to manage the union’s funds. A case in point is his refusal to recover union funds his predecessor had helped herself to by accessing CEPPAWAWU’s bank account, claiming it was monies owed to her from her tenure as administrator. By refusing to recoup the funds, Sono failed to act in the union’s best interests and thereby breached his fiduciary duties.
After failing to appoint a facilitator to convene the congresses, not safeguarding the union’s funds, and failing to finalise the audited financial statements, it boggles the mind why Sono was fighting to stay on as CEPPWAWU administrator. The one factor he never failed at, however, was paying himself an elaborate fee.
Mr. Gerhard Vosloo was appointed by court in January to replace Sono as CEPPWAWU administrator. His term started on 1 March and will expire on 30 December 2026. As per court order, Vosloo will finalise all outstanding audited financials and convene a National Congress to elect national leadership for CEPPWAWU; after which he must handover control of the union to the national leadership.
We are confident that under Vosloo’s stewardship and given his previous success in taking the South African Medical Association Trade Union (SAMATU) to congress under similar difficulties, CEPPWAWU will soon be returned to its rightful place as a legally compliant union focussing on defending the jobs and rights of its members and the working class.
COSATU reiterates, we are overjoyed to see Sono go. We sincerely hope this will be the last we hear of him and that he will not be given an opportunity to do this to another unsuspecting organisation.
Issued by COSATU
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NUM Matlosana Region to embark on a protected strike at AFRIMAT over wage deadlock and attack on medical benefits
Hudson Sosikela, NUM Matlosana Regional Secretary, 17 March 2026
The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) in the Matlosana Region will officially commence a protected strike at Afrimat tomorrow morning, 18 March 2026, starting at 07:00.
This industrial action follows a prolonged and frustrating wage negotiation process that began in March 2025. The deadlock is a direct result of the company’s aggressive attempts to strip away hard-won benefits previously secured under the former employer, Lafarge.
Key points of the dispute include:
Attack on Medical Aid: Afrimat is attempting to brutally reverse existing gains by replacing the current medical aid scheme (where the employer pays 65% and the employee 35%) with a substandard medical insurance. The company proposes a flat contribution of only R1,265.00 per month, which would leave workers vulnerable and under-insured.
Wage Increase Gap: The NUM remains firm on a modest demand of 7%, while the company refuses to move beyond a 5% offer.
The NUM views the company’s insistence on reducing medical benefits as a provocative act of bad faith. Negotiations have been dragged out for over a year specifically because Afrimat chose to target the health and well-being of its workforce rather than offering a fair living wage.
Our members are resolute that they will not allow a "race to the bottom" where established conditions of employment are dismantled under new ownership.
The strike will continue until the management of Afrimat returns to the table with a proposal that respects the dignity and the previous gains of our members.
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COSATU Mpumalanga supports SATAWU Picket Action in Gert Sibande Region
Thabo Mokoena, COSATU Mpumalanga Provincial Secretary, 17 March 2026
The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) in Mpumalanga fully supports the picket action led by the South African Transport and Allied Workers Union (SATAWU) in the Gert Sibande Region, scheduled for 20 March, from 12pm to 1pm, across various municipalities and government institutions.
This picket forms part of a broader struggle to defend the rights and dignity of security workers, who continue to face intolerable working conditions and blatant exploitation by employers.
COSATU is deeply concerned about the ongoing challenges confronting security workers in the region, including:
- Persistent late payment of wages, leaving workers unable to meet basic needs
- Failure by employers to resolve pay queries and address discrepancies
- Lack of salary increases and bonuses, despite rising cost of living
- Non-payment of leave benefits owed to workers
- Rampant bullying and intimidation in the workplace
- Failure to register workers for UIF, depriving them of social protection
- Absence of provident fund contributions, undermining workers’ long-term financial security
These conditions are unacceptable and constitute a direct violation of workers’ rights and labour laws. Security workers, who play a critical role in safeguarding public and private institutions, deserve to be treated with dignity, fairness, and respect.
COSATU reiterates its call for permanent and decent work for all.
The continued reliance on insecure, outsourced, and poorly regulated employment in the security sector must come to an end. Workers must be afforded stable employment, fair wages, and full access to benefits as guaranteed by law.
We call on all employers, municipalities, and government institutions in the Gert Sibande Region to urgently engage with workers and their unions to address these grievances. Failure to do so will only deepen the crisis and intensify worker resistance.
COSATU further calls on all its Affiliates, progressive formations, and community members to support and join the picket action in solidarity with security workers.
An injury to one is an injury to all.
Issued COSATU Mpumalanga
South Africa #ClassSolidarity
COSATU mourns the passing of former SACTWU 1st Deputy President, Beauty Zibula
Nonzuzo Dlamini, COSATU Communication Officer, 17 March 2026
The Congress of South African Trade Union (COSATU) is gutted by the passing of former anti-apartheid activist and trade unionist, Beauty Zibula. A staunch believer in the liberation of the oppressed, Zibula carried her convictions from modest roots of KwaZulu Natal to the National Assembly of South Africa, until her death at 65 years of age.
During the apartheid era, her awareness of the political climate was awakened while at what was then Standard 4, primary school level, indicative of her tender age. The zeal to mobilise fellow peers grew then, sensitising political consciousness in the community, and later at factories, for the recognition and advancement of the rights of workers.
Forced by financial circumstances, the teenaged Zibula understood the complexities of work when she enrolled at night school to work at a garment factory. The experience would propel her involvement in the labour movement, leading her to become a shop steward in 1987 and two years later, the Chairperson of the Durban North Local of the Garment and Allied Workers’ Union (GAWU), which would merge with the Amalgamated Clothing and Textile Workers' Union of South Africa, to form the now formidable Southern African Clothing and Textile Workers' Union (SACTWU).
The constellation of the assumption of the various leadership roles at SACTWU to the 1st Deputy Presidency are proof of the indelible mark stitched into the union and the entire Federation.
COSATU will be forever grateful for her relentless commitment to the struggle for worker emancipation, even in Parliament, staying true to her roots. She immersed herself in the struggle. A sample machinist, a trade unionist and a true patriot, whose service will forever be sewn into our history.
We extend our heartfelt condolences to her family, comrades, colleagues, friends and all who were touched by her humble leadership.
Issued by COSATU
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POPCRU wishes SAMWU successful 13th National Congress
Richard Mamabolo, POPCRU National Spokesperson, 17 March 2026
The Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (POPCRU) extends its revolutionary greetings and best wishes to the South African Municipal Workers Union (SAMWU) as it convenes its 13th National Congress in Mbombela, Mpumalanga, from 17 to 19 March 2026, under the theme: “Towards Four Decades and Beyond in Defence of Workers’ Interests.”
As a proud affiliate of the Congress of South African Trade Unions, SAMWU occupies a critical position in advancing the struggles of municipal workers and, by extension, the broader working class. This Congress takes place at a crucial moment in our country, where workers continue to confront deepening socio-economic challenges, including austerity measures, rising inequality, and persistent attacks on collective bargaining and public sector integrity.
POPCRU takes this opportunity to commend the leadership elected at the 12th National Congress for steering the union through one of the most difficult periods in recent history. The outbreak of COVID-19 and the subsequent lockdowns placed immense strain on municipal workers, yet SAMWU remained steadfast in defending jobs, wages, and the dignity of its members under extremely challenging conditions.
Since its founding in 1987, SAMWU has consistently been at the forefront of struggles to defend workers’ rights, oppose corruption in municipalities, and promote accountable and developmental local government. The union’s efforts in resisting attempts to undermine workers’ political rights, while strengthening unity within COSATU, are a testament to its resilience and principled leadership.
As the country moves closer to the upcoming local government elections, this Congress must further consolidate working-class unity and sharpen the strategic posture of the labour movement. It is through unity in action that workers can effectively confront exploitation, defend public services, and advance a transformative agenda that places the needs of the poor and working class at the centre of governance.
POPCRU reaffirms its commitment to working alongside SAMWU and other progressive formations in building a strong, united, and militant trade union movement. We remain resolute in advancing internationalism, deepening class consciousness, and contributing to the broader project of building a united left front capable of driving forward the aspirations of our people.
We are confident that this 13th National Congress will produce decisive resolutions that will strengthen the union organisationally, politically, and ideologically as it marches towards its 40th anniversary and beyond.
POPCRU wishes SAMWU a successful and productive National Congress, with robust deliberations that will further advance the interests of municipal workers and the entire working class.
Issued by POPCRU
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SACP
wishes SAMWU a successful 13th National Congress
Mbulelo
Mandlana, SACP Head of Media, Communications and Information
Tuesday,
17 March 2026
The South African Communist Party (SACP) wishes the South African Municipal Workers Union (SAMWU), an affiliate of the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu), a successful 13th National Congress, as it begins today until Thursday in Mbombela, Mpumalanga. The congress is held under the theme, “Towards Four Decades and Beyond in Defence of Workers’ Interests”.
The SACP also congratulates and appreciates the 12th SAMWU National Congress leadership for their stellar efforts in leading the union from a difficult period in 2020 as the country was mired in a difficult period characterised by the ravages of the Covid-19 and its related lockdown measures which had an impact on many municipal workers.
Since its 12th Congress in 2020, in continuation of its work since its founding in 1987, SAMWU has waged relentless fights in defence of municipal workers’ rights, including pushing back against attempts to deny them their rightful political rights in the country. The union has also consistently fought against all forms of corruption in the municipal space all while consolidating the unity of the union and Cosatu.
As the country prepares for the local government elections, the working class has the duty to consolidate its gains over the years. It is thus imperative that the working class and poor unite in fighting against capitalist exploitation and build a strong united front in defence of their rights. In this regard, the SACP is working with various left forces towards the National Conference of the Left as part of the practical efforts towards building a popular left front for popular power.
Towards SAMWU’s 40th anniversary and beyond, the Party will continue to play its vanguard role in strengthening the trade union movement in defence of workers’ rights. The SACP further pledges to continue contributing towards the galvanisation of the trade union movement’s strength politically, organisationally and ideologically.
The SACP conveys its wishes for fruitful engagements and a successful 13th National Congress to SAMWU.
ISSUED
BY THE SOUTH AFRICAN COMMUNIST PARTY,
FOUNDED IN 1921 AS THE COMMUNIST PARTY OF SOUTH AFRICA.
Media, Communications & Information Department | MCID
International-Solidarity
Myanmar: trade unions continue defending workers despite repression
Free Myanmar demonstration, Geneva, 2024 — Kemal Ozkan, Atle Høie and Luc Triangle
16 March, 2026
With support from IndustriALL and Australian union MEU, the Industrial Workers' Federation of Myanmar (IWFM) continued to defend workers' rights in 2025 despite extreme repression, documenting abuses, helping workers recover unpaid wages and strengthening global pressure on the military regime.
With support from IndustriALL and Australian union MEU, the Industrial Workers’ Federation of Myanmar (IWFM) continued to defend workers’ rights in 2025 despite extreme repression, documenting abuses, helping workers recover unpaid wages and strengthening global pressure on the military regime.
Myanmar’s workers continue to face severe repression following the military coup, with labour rights dismantled and trade union activity criminalised. Despite these conditions, IWFM organizers supported more than 6,400 workers in recovering unpaid wages and compensation in 2025 and documented 438 labour rights violations, the majority in the garment sector.
Organizing under repression
IWFM members continued trade union work under extremely difficult conditions, assisting workers facing wage theft, unfair dismissal, harassment and factory closures.
IWFM president Khaing Zar Aung described the scale of the challenge facing organizers on the ground.
“Despite the military’s attempt to silence trade unions, Myanmar workers continue to resist exploitation and defend their rights. Our organizers are risking their safety every day to support workers, document abuses and keep the labour movement alive. International solidarity is critical so that Myanmar’s workers are not abandoned and those responsible for repression are held accountable.”
Protection and solidarity
Safe houses along the Myanmar border enabled union leaders to maintain coordination and continue supporting workers.
International advocacy
Through international advocacy led by Khaing Zar Aung, as central committee members of the Confederation of Trade Unions Myanmar (CTUM) and together with the Council of Global Unions, trade unions pushed for global accountability. This contributed to progress on ILO Article 33 measures and increased pressure on international brands sourcing from Myanmar.
A demonstrator wears a tag calling for ILO Article 33 action and an end to military rule in Myanmar, at a demonstration near the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, 2024.
IndustriALL general secretary Atle Høie underlined the importance of continued global support.
“IndustriALL stands firmly with Myanmar’s workers and trade unionists who continue to resist repression at great personal risk. The results achieved by IWFM in 2025 are a testament to the power of international solidarity. We will not stop demanding accountability from the military regime and from the global brands that continue to profit from Myanmar’s workers.”
International solidarity remains critical to ensure Myanmar’s workers are not abandoned and that independent trade unions remain ready to rebuild democratic labour institutions in the future.
Fact box
Impact in 2025
6,400+ workers supported
438 labour violations documented
Union staff operating despite repression
Safe houses protecting trade union leadership
Global advocacy advancing ILO action
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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