Taking COSATU Today Forward, 24 October 2025 #Cosatu@40 #Cosatu40thAnniversary
Norman Mampane
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COSATU TODAY #Cosatu scheduled to convene a Just Transition Global South Exchange next week at Boksburg... #Cosatu scheduled to hold its 40th Anniversary at Dobsonville, Soweto on December 6 #Cosatu@40 #Cosatu40thAnniversary #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
24 October 2025
“Build Working Class Unity for Economic Liberation towards Socialism”
Organize at every workplace and demand respect for labour rights Now!
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Contents
- Workers Parliament: Back to Basics!
- Employment and Labour on electrical installation laws and Certificate of Compliance (CoC) requirements
- COSATU to host lectures in the lead up to 40th anniversary
- South Africa
- COSATU is deeply concerned by the explosion in unregulated and illegal online gambling
- NECSA endorses IRP 2025 as catalyst for clean energy and industrial growth
- International-Workers’ Solidarity!
- Unions strengthen collaboration across Dow, DuPont and major chemical producers
Workers’ Parliament-Back2Basics
Employment and Labour on electrical installation laws and Certificate of Compliance (CoC) requirements
22 Oct 2025
Notice to Homeowners, Businesses and Electrical Contractors Regarding Compliance with Electrical Installation Laws and Certificate of Compliance (CoC) Requirements
The Department of Employment and Labour in the Free State Province has noted a concerning increase in complaints from new homeowners regarding non-compliant electrical installations, despite the presence of a Certificate of Compliance (CoC) issued during the property transfer process.
The Department hereby reminds all homeowners, businesses, and developers that it is their legal responsibility to ensure that all electrical installations on their properties fully comply with applicable legislation and standards. A valid CoC must be obtained and provided prior to the sale or transfer of any property.
In cases where an electrical installation is later found to be non-compliant, the seller will be held accountable for rectifying the defects and obtaining a new CoC at their own expense. Failure to do so may result in legal action.
Furthermore, all stakeholders are strongly advised to engage only with competent and legally registered electrical contractors for any electrical work and the issuance of CoC. A registered contractor may only issue a CoC after conducting proper inspections and tests to ensure the installation is both compliant and safe.
Under no circumstances may a registered contractor issue a CoC on behalf of an unregistered individual. Such conduct constitutes a criminal offence and may result in the revocation of the contractor’s registration.
The Department urges all parties involved in property transactions and electrical installations to strictly adhere to these requirements in the interest of safety, legality, and consumer protection.
For
media inquiries, please contact:
Teboho Thejane
Departmental Spokesperson
Cell: 082 697 0694
E-mail: teboho....@labour.gov.za
Issued by Department of Employment and Labour
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COSATU to host lectures in the lead up to 40th anniversary
Zanele Sabela, COSATU National Spokesperson, 25 September 2025
The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) is set the host a series of lectures in the lead up to its 40th anniversary celebration at Dobsonville Stadium on 6 December.
The culmination of four years of unity talks, COSATU came into being on 1 December 1985, and brought together 33 competing unions and federations opposed to apartheid and whose common goal was to bring about a non-racial, non-sexist and democratic society.
The Federation has been at the forefront of advancing, defending and protecting the interests and rights of workers since, and has led in the formation of the country’s progressive labour laws including workers’ rights to form trade unions, collective bargaining and to strike, minimum conditions of service, National Minimum Wage, etc.
From its vehement resistance of apartheid to the ushering in of the democratic dispensation and improving the economic and social wellbeing of the working class 31 years post democracy, COSATU has stood the test of time.
In the lead up to its 40th anniversary in December, the Federation will host a variety of activities starting with a series of lectures by its National Office Bearers.
The lectures will tackle diverse subjects from COSATU’s pivotal role in gender struggles to the strike that broke the back of industry-wide exploitative labour practices as far back as 1959.
Province:
Northern Cape
Date:
30 October
Topic: COSATU and the Liberation Movement
Main Speaker: Solly Phetoe, COSATU General Secretary
Province:
North-West
Date:
19 November
Topic: Strengthening Industrial Unions to build a militant COSATU
Main Speaker: Duncan Luvuno, COSATU 2nd Deputy President
Province:
Eastern Cape
Date:
20 November
Topic: COSATU and the Reconfiguration of the Alliance
Main Speaker: Mike Shingange, COSATU 1st Deputy President
Province:
Gauteng
Date:
21 November
Topic: COSATU and the Mass Democratic Movement
Main Speaker: Zingiswa Losi, COSATU President
Issued by COSATU
COSATU is deeply concerned by the explosion in unregulated and illegal online gambling
Matthew Parks, COSATU Parliamentary Coordinator, 23 October 2025
The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) is deeply concerned by the explosion in unregulated and illegal online gambling. If left unchecked it threatens to plunge thousands into absolute poverty and despair.
Gambling and betting are highly addictive and when left unregulated has led to millions trapped into a vicious cycle of betting, debt and despair. Many have lost everything. Others have resorted to suicide.
South Africa has seen an explosive growth in online gambling and betting over the past few years. These are mostly illegal with sports betting an exception. This growth has been spurred by largely unregulated online advertising and the ease in which gamblers can do so online at any time of the day with little scrutiny over age and few, if any controls.
It is estimated that the gambling industry generated R1.14 trillion in turnover in 2024 with South Africans spending on average R4 billion a day on it. Up to 83% of gamblers are reported to be in debt as a result. Depressing reports show a spike in social grants and NSFAS recipients turning to gambling. These are monies better spent on buying essential goods and supporting economic growth.
There is space for responsible gambling and betting in society, but it must be well regulated, transparent and accountable. Whilst the National Gambling Act provides such a foundation, it needs to be urgently strengthened combined with other interventions, to deal with the explosion of online gambling and advertising.
Online gambling and betting needs to be included in South Africa’s tax regime and pay its fair dues to the fiscus. The state needs to become increasingly agile to deal with the growing shift to e-commerce if we are to ensure the integrity and effective enforcement of our laws, in particular taxation. This was a key call made by COSATU and Parliament during the 2025/26 Budget engagements.
It is critical that Treasury and the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition table the necessary and long overdue legislative amendments to address these burning matters. COSATU will engage with both Departments on these painful challenges facing workers and society.
Issued by COSATU
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NECSA endorses IRP 2025 as catalyst for clean energy and industrial growth
23 Oct 2025
The South African Nuclear Energy Corporation (Necsa) welcomes and fully supports the Integrated Resource Plan 2025 (IRP 2025) as announced by the Minister of Electricity and Energy, Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa. The plan provides a comprehensive and balanced framework for securing South Africa’s energy future on the back of all its energy sources including nuclear.
Mr Loyiso Tyabashe, the Group CEO of Necsa says, “The IRP 2025 is a bold plan that acknowledges the role of nuclear energy in achieving South Africa’s energy security, socio-economic and climate goals, alongside other energy sources. Necsa is ready to step up as per the call by the Minister through its business strategy that includes re-establishing the nuclear fuel, small modular reactors (SMRs), and nuclear skills development. The new capacity of 5 200 MW allocated to nuclear opens the door for a robust nuclear build programme and makes a case for a sustainable nuclear industry that will complement the broader South African energy mix. Nuclear energy will ensure that South Africa achieves a truly just energy transition.”
Mr David Nicholls, the Chairperson of the Necsa Board says, “We are ready to leverage decades of nuclear experience to contribute to South Africa’s socio-economic goals including skills and meaningful jobs. Necsa is also excited about Cabinet’s plan to lift the Pebble Bed Modular Reactor (PBMR) programme out of care and maintenance and its transfer to Necsa where two facilities, Helium Testing and nuclear fuel are situated. This will enable Necsa to build on the work already done in this project and scale it accordingly. Our plan is to become the leading supplier of small modular reactors to ultimately refit decommissioned coal-fired units, off-grid application including large power users and smaller grids across Africa.”
As
a state-owned entity with a mandate on nuclear technology and innovation, Necsa looks forward to executing its designated functions in support of the national strategy outlined in the IRP 2025.
For further information contact:
GM: Corporate Communication, Branding & Stakeholder Relations
Dr Nikelwa Tengimfene
Cell: 066 293 4451
E-mail: media.e...@necsa.co.za
Issued by Department of Electricity and Energy
International-Solidarity
Unions strengthen collaboration across Dow, DuPont and major chemical producers
23 October, 2025
Union representatives from the chemical sector came together to discuss shared challenges across the sector, from workplace safety and training to the growing influence of artificial intelligence on industrial jobs.
On 13-15 October, at the United Steelworkers headquarters in Pittsburgh, USA, union leaders representing workers at Dow, DuPont, Corteva, Roquette, Trinseo and Qnity exchanged experiences and strategies to defend workers’ rights and shape the future of the chemical industry. Participants included affiliated unions from the United States, Germany, Brazil, the United Kingdom, Turkey, Argentina, Belgium, Spain and Indonesia.
Discussions focused on how unions can respond to the pressures of economic uncertainty, shifting trade policies and the fast integration of digital tools and AI technologies. Participants identified the need for stronger international coordination to ensure that chemical workers are equipped, trained and protected as the industry transforms.
Delegates shared experiences from their worksites, comparing collective bargaining outcomes, company financial data and safety practices and discussed strategies to strengthen training, attract and retain skilled workers and ensure that new technologies serve workers rather than replace them.
The meeting took place against the backdrop of ongoing restructuring at Dow, particularly in Europe, which is affecting employees’ jobs in several countries and adding urgency to the call for coordinated union action and fair transition measures.
Kent Holsing, chairperson of the Dow DuPont North American Labor Council and president of USW Local 12075, said:
“The chemical industry is critically important, and its workers are a vital part of that. We must remind these corporations that they cannot forget those who labour to make them profitable and we must protect not only those in our unions but also non-union employees who don’t have that voice.”
The meeting also addressed the industry’s economic uncertainty, tariff fluctuations and the need for stability in global supply chains. Participants emphasized that companies must not use these pressures as a pretext for cutting jobs or undermining union rights.
Tom Grinter, IndustriALL’s director for the chemical sector, said:
“Chemical workers are facing a convergence of pressures: unsafe staffing levels, skills shortages, restructuring and now the fast rollout of artificial intelligence and digital systems. These are not isolated challenges, they are global ones. Through collaboration like this, unions are building the power and knowledge to negotiate fair transitions. IndustriALL’s new AI policy sets a clear line: technology must be designed and deployed with workers, not against them.”
Participants also discussed plans to formalise global cooperation among Dow unions through a potential global Dow Council, aimed at deepening information exchange and joint bargaining coordination.
The initiative reflects a shared commitment to build global solidarity in a sector where international companies make global decisions that affect local workers. By strengthening coordination across borders, unions are ensuring that workers’ voices are heard in boardrooms, supply chains and technological transitions.
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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