Taking COSATU Today Forward, 13 August 2026 #CosatuCongress2026
Norman Mampane
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COSATU TODAY COSATU Call Center Contacts: 010 002 2590 #Cosatu affiliates are preparing for the 15th National Congress coming at Midrand in September… #CosatuCongress2026 “Building a Militant, Revolutionary Movement and Strengthening Anti-Imperialist Working-Class Unity to Deepen Jobs and Advance Socialism” #WorkerControl #NationaActionAgainstCostOfLiving Campaign continues… #ClassWar #Cosatu40 #SACTU70 #ClassStruggle #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 August 2026
“Build Working Class Unity for Economic Liberation towards Socialism”
Organize at every workplace and demand respect for labour rights Now!
Defend Jobs Now!
Join COSATU NOW!
Contents
- Workers Parliament: Back to Basics!
- POPCRU to convene its Central Executive Committee (CEC)
- Media Accreditation Application for the COSATU 15th National Congress officially open
- South Africa
- Employment and Labour on Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) 2026
- International-Workers’ Solidarity!
- South African Communist Party Statement on the Centenary of Comrade Fidel Castro Ruz Fidel Castro at 100: a revolutionary life in the service of humanity
Workers’ Parliament-Back2Basics #ClassWar
POPCRU
to convene its Central Executive Committee (CEC)
Richard Mamabolo, POPCRU National Spokesperson, 11 August 2026
The Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (POPCRU) hereby invites members of the media to cover its upcoming Central Executive Committee (CEC), scheduled to take place from 18 to 22 August 2026 at the Birchwood Hotel & OR Tambo Conference Centre.
The CEC, which is one of POPCRU's highest decision-making structures between National Congresses, will bring together the union's national leadership, provincial leadership and representatives from across the policing, corrections and traffic sectors to assess the state of the organisation, developments within the criminal justice cluster and the broader political, socio-economic and international environment.
The CEC takes place at a critical period for workers and the country's criminal justice system, amid growing concerns around the killing of police officers, deteriorating infrastructure at police stations and correctional facilities, staff shortages, overcrowding in correctional centres, challenges around employee wellness and morale, collective bargaining, the rising cost of living and the need for improved resourcing of frontline public servants.
The CEC will also reflect on the broader political trajectory of the country, the state of the Alliance, developments within the labour movement and POPCRU's ongoing responsibility to defend workers' rights while contributing towards the creation of safer communities and an effective criminal justice system.
A key feature of the CEC will be the Presidential Political Overview to be delivered by POPCRU President, Cde Thulani Ngwenya, on Wednesday, 19 August 2026 at 09h30. The programme will further include addresses and engagements involving representatives of the ANC, SACP, COSATU, Safer South Africa Foundation, Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC), South African Police Service (SAPS), Department of Correctional Services (DCS) and Border Management Authority (BMA).
Members of the media are particularly invited to attend and cover the open session on Wednesday, 19 August 2026.
DETAILS ARE AS FOLLOWS:
Event: POPCRU Central Executive Committee
Date: Wednesday, 19 August 2026
Time: 09h00
Venue: Birchwood Hotel & OR Tambo Conference Centre
Location: Boksburg
Members of the media wishing to attend are requested to confirm their attendance with POPCRU's Media and Communications Department.
Media enquiries and confirmations:
Richard Mamabolo
POPCRU National Spokesperson
066 135 4349
ISSUED BY THE POLICE AND PRISONS CIVIL RIGHTS UNION (POPCRU)
____________________
Media
Accreditation Application for the COSATU 15th National Congress officially open
Zanele
Sabela, COSATU Spokesperson, 06 August 2026
The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) will convene its 15th National Congress from 14 to 17 September 2026 at Gallagher Convention Centre, Midrand, Gauteng, South Africa.
Taking place under the theme, “Building A Militant, Revolutionary Labour Movement and Strengthening Anti-Imperialist Working-Class Unity to Defend Jobs and Advance Socialism”, the four-day event will bring together delegates from affiliates, Alliance
partners and international guests; and conclude with the presentation of the Congress declaration and the announcement of the elected COSATU National Office Bearers.
COSATU President Zingiswa Losi will deliver the opening address, with messages of support from Alliance partners, the African National Congress (ANC) and the South African Communist Party (SACP) and the South African National Civic Organisation (SANCO). The
political, organisational, economic and international reports will be tabled at Congress.
Members of the media are invited to attend and cover the Congress.
The media accreditation application process is now open and will close on the 4 September 2026.
Below are the details that need to be submitted for the application to be processed.
Name:
Surname:
Media House:
Address:
Country:
Mobile:
Email:
Applications should be forwarded to the following emails: Mam...@cosatu.org.za
and Non...@cosatu.org.za
before Friday, 04 September 2026.
They can also be submitted via the link below:
Media
Registration
Issued by COSATU
South Africa #ClassSolidarity
Employment
and Labour on Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) 2026
12
Aug 2026
The Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) – Q2 2026 - a sobering reality check demanding urgent, coordinated action
The Department of Employment and Labour (DEL) has taken due note of the Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) for the second quarter of 2026, released on 11 August 2026, by Statistics South Africa. The findings deliver a sobering reality check: the data lay
bare a labour market buckling under sustained and intensifying pressure.
Key indicators have registered further deterioration, reaffirming that South Africa's employment crisis is rooted in deep-seated structural rigidities, sluggish investment, persistently low labour absorption capacity and a troubling rise in labour market discouragement.
The cruel arithmetic is unforgiving: far too many new entrants are flooding the labour market, yet far too few opportunities exist to absorb them, steadily deepening the nation's employment deficit.
Compounding this domestic strain are turbulent geo-economic headwinds and heightened global uncertainty. This fractured international landscape continues to buffet our economy, clouding our medium-term employment outlook and aggravating the vulnerabilities
of those already on the margins. The persistent exclusion of young people is not merely a statistic; it is a national emergency demanding an urgent, coordinated response—and sustained private-sector participation remains indispensable to turning the tide.
Against this backdrop, let there be no ambiguity: job creation is the apex priority of this Government. Meaningful, sustainable outcomes demand a synchronized assault on unemployment, a whole-of-government and whole-of-society coalition that bridges economic,
industrial, skills development and social policy institutions.
Critically, this battle cannot be fought from the national centre alone. An effective multi-stakeholder approach, spanning all three spheres of government, including strengthened collaboration with the private sector, is non-negotiable. Provincial and local
governments must be fully mobilized as frontline actors in the employment agenda driving local economic development, unlocking municipal-level investment and ensuring that employment programmes are tailored to regional realities. The Department will therefore
strengthen coordination mechanisms between government and business, and most importantly, across national, provincial, and local government to ensure that employmentcreation is embedded in every sphere's core mandate, not relegated to the margins of service
delivery.
The Department will immediately dissect the hardest-hit sectors to pinpoint exactly where interventions are most needed, devising an integrated, multi-stakeholder approach that leaves no partner on the sidelines. To this end, we reiterate the urgent imperative
to accelerate and consolidate ongoing labour market and economic reforms. Flagship intervention, Operation Vulindlela, the Presidential Employment Stimulus and our suite of Active Labour Market Policies (ALMPs) must be supercharged, scaled up decisively and
sharpened into effective drivers of inclusive growth. These are not mere acronyms; they are our frontline weapons against unemployment. But they can only succeed if deployed with coherence, speed and relentless accountability and if every tier of government
plays its part.
All employment initiatives must be executed in a tight, coordinated offensive across national departments, provincial administrations, and municipal governments to achieve lasting and sustainable results.
We must move with the urgency this crisis demands for the sake of every young person waiting for a foothold in the economy and for the future of our nation.
Media enquiries:
Ms. Thobeka Magcai, Ministry Spokesperson.
Email: Thobeka...@Labour.gov.za
Cell: 072 737 2205
Issued by Department of Employment and Labour
Internationalism-Solidarity
South African Communist Party Statement on the Centenary of Comrade Fidel Castro Ruz Fidel Castro at 100: a revolutionary life in the service of humanity
Mhlekwa Nxumalo, SACP Acting National Spokesperson, 13 August 2026
The South African Communist Party (SACP) joins the Communist Party of Cuba, the Cuban government and people, and progressive forces throughout the world in commemorating the centenary of the birth of Comrade Fidel Castro Ruz.
Born on 13 August 1926, Fidel devoted his life to the liberation of the Cuban people, the construction of socialism and the worldwide struggle against colonialism, imperialism, racism and capitalist exploitation. His political life demonstrated what disciplined organisation, ideological conviction, revolutionary courage and confidence in ordinary people can achieve, even under the most difficult conditions.
Fidel belonged not only to Cuba. He belongs to all peoples who struggle for freedom, equality, peace and socialism.
Under his leadership, the Cuban Revolution overthrew the US-backed Batista dictatorship on 1 January 1959. It broke the power of foreign corporations, landlords and the local oligarchy, restored Cuba’s sovereignty and placed the country’s resources at the service of its people. The Revolution showed that a small nation, situated approximately 145 kilometres from the US, the principal centre of imperialist power, could determine its own future and defend its independence.
The achievements of socialist Cuba are inseparable from the revolutionary movement led by Fidel and the Communist Party of Cuba. Cuba eradicated illiteracy, greatly expanded access to education, built a universal public healthcare system and trained generations of doctors, teachers, scientists and cultural workers. These gains were made despite decades of economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed by the US.
The centenary of Fidel must therefore be an occasion not only to remember his life but also to intensify the demand for the immediate and unconditional end of the illegal US blockade against Cuba. The blockade is an act of collective punishment against the Cuban people and a continuing violation of their right to sovereignty and development. The SACP reaffirms its solidarity with the Cuban people in defence of the Revolution and their right to determine their own socialist path without external interference.
A commander of internationalism
For the people of Africa, Fidel’s name occupies a special place in the history of liberation struggles.
Cuban internationalism was not expressed through words alone. At enormous human and material cost, Cuba supported the liberation struggles of Angola, Namibia, South Africa, Mozambique, Guinea-Bissau, Cape Verde and other oppressed nations. Cuban combatants stood alongside the people of Angola against the invading forces of apartheid South Africa and their imperialist-backed proxies.
The Battle of Cuito Cuanavale became a decisive turning point in the struggle to change the balance of forces in Southern Africa. The courage of Cuban, Angolan, Namibian and other internationalist combatants contributed to the withdrawal of apartheid forces from Angola, the independence of Namibia and the creation of more favourable conditions for the defeat of apartheid in South Africa. Nelson Mandela correctly described Cuito Cuanavale as a turning point in the liberation of our continent and our people.
Cuba did not go to Africa to seize land, minerals, markets or profits. Cuban internationalists returned home carrying only the remains of their fallen comrades. This stands in sharp contrast to imperialism, which intervenes in other countries to dominate their peoples and plunder their resources.
After the guns fell silent, Cuba continued its internationalism through doctors, nurses, teachers, engineers and other professionals. Thousands of young people from Africa and the rest of the Global South have received education and medical training in Cuba. Cuban professionals have served communities in some of the most difficult and under-served parts of the world.
Cuba’s contribution to our post-1994 transformation
Cuba’s solidarity with the South African people did not end with the defeat of apartheid and our democratic breakthrough in 1994.
Cuba continued to support the South African people in advancing the National Democratic Revolution, especially in areas critical to overcoming the racial and class inequalities inherited from colonialism and apartheid.
One of the most enduring expressions of this solidarity is the Nelson Mandela–Fidel Castro Medical Collaboration Programme, established by Presidents Nelson Mandela and Fidel Castro in 1996. Through this programme, thousands of young South Africans, many drawn from poor and working-class communities, have received medical training in Cuba and returned to serve the people of our country.
The programme was founded on an approach to healthcare that prioritises prevention, primary healthcare, service to communities and the understanding that access to healthcare is a fundamental human right, not a commodity reserved for those who can afford it. It has contributed substantially to strengthening the human resources of South Africa’s public health system and expanding the pool of doctors available to serve working-class and rural communities.
Cuban doctors and other health professionals have also worked directly in South Africa, particularly in rural districts and other underserved areas where shortages of medical personnel have been most severe. Cuban specialists contributed further to South Africa’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, once again demonstrating that Cuba’s internationalism is practical, selfless and rooted in the defence of human life.
Cooperation between Cuba and democratic South Africa has also extended to engineering, education, public works, water infrastructure, science and technical capacity. This contribution has supported the effort to expand public services and build the capacity of a democratic developmental state.
These programmes are not acts of charity. They are expressions of revolutionary solidarity between two peoples whose struggles are historically connected. They demonstrate how cooperation between nations can be organised around human needs, public service and mutual development rather than private profit, domination and the extraction of wealth.
This is proletarian internationalism in practice: from each people according to their ability and to every people according to their need.
Fidel’s continuing relevance
Fidel’s centenary comes at a time of deepening capitalist crisis, widening inequality, imperialist aggression, war and ecological destruction. Across the world, working people are being made to pay for crises they did not create. Public services are being weakened, unemployment is increasing, basic needs are converted into commodities and the wealth produced by workers is concentrated in the hands of a small capitalist minority.
In this context, Fidel’s revolutionary example remains profoundly relevant.
He taught that sovereignty without social transformation remains incomplete. Political independence must be accompanied by the transfer and transformation of economic power in favour of the working class and the people as a whole. Land, natural resources, finance and the commanding heights of the economy cannot remain under the domination of monopolies while the majority live in poverty.
He taught that socialism is not handed down from above. It must be built through the organised power, political education and conscious participation of workers and poor people.
He taught that internationalism is not an optional expression of sympathy. It is a practical obligation arising from the common struggle of oppressed peoples against imperialism and exploitation.
Above all, Fidel demonstrated the importance of political courage. Revolutionaries cannot allow the apparent strength of the ruling class or the temporary weakness of progressive forces to determine the limits of what they believe is possible. The balance of forces is not fixed. It can be changed through organisation, political clarity, sacrifice and sustained mass struggle.
Our tasks in South Africa
For the SACP, honouring Fidel requires more than ceremonial remembrance. It requires us to advance the struggle for socialism in the concrete conditions of South Africa.
It means rebuilding working-class organisation in workplaces and communities. It means confronting unemployment, poverty, inequality, corruption and the continuing domination of our economy by monopoly capital. It means defending and expanding public healthcare, education, housing and other essential services. It means advancing public, cooperative and community ownership, strengthening the solidarity economy and building democratic working-class power in every sphere of society.
It also means resisting attempts to reduce democracy to periodic elections while economic power remains concentrated in private hands. Elections are an important terrain of struggle, but the liberation of the working class requires organised power in workplaces, communities, the economy and the state.
In the same spirit, South Africa must defend and deepen its relations with Cuba. The Mandela–Castro programme and other forms of cooperation must be strengthened as part of building an effective public sector, advancing National Health Insurance and fulfilling the Freedom Charter’s demand that free medical care and hospitalisation shall be provided for all.
Fidel’s life reminds us that revolutionaries must combine principle with organisation, strategy with action, and national struggle with international solidarity.
The SACP salutes the Communist Party of Cuba and the heroic Cuban people for defending the Revolution through more than six decades of hostility, sabotage, sanctions and ideological warfare. We remember the Cuban internationalists who sacrificed their lives for the freedom of Africa. Their blood forms part of the foundation upon which our democratic breakthrough was built.
On the centenary of Comrade Fidel Castro Ruz’s birth, we declare:
Long Live the Revolutionary Legacy of Comrade Fidel Castro!
Long Live the Cuban Revolution!
End the Imperialist Blockade Against Cuba!
ISSUED BY THE SOUTH AFRICAN COMMUNIST PARTY
FOUNDED IN 1921 AS THE COMMUNIST PARTY OF SOUTH AFRICA.
Media, Communications & Information Department | MCID
______________________________
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