Taking COSATU Today Forward, 13 July 2026
Norman Mampane
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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 July 2026
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Contents
- Workers Parliament: Back to Basics!
- COSATU Western Cape mourns the tragic passing of BAFANA Bafana Star Jayden Adams
- NUM’s Nelson Mandela Day 67 minutes of service campaign at Itireleng Association for Physically Disability Centre,17th and 18th July 2026 in Mohlakeng
- 26th Commission for Employment Equity Report (CEE) Annual Report 2025/26
- South Africa
- COSATU Condemns GEMS' Bad Faith Conduct and Attempts to Undermine Collective Bargaining
- International-Workers’ Solidarity!
- South East Asia youth to launch labour education campaign
Workers’ Parliament-Back2Basics #ClassWar
COSATU Western Cape mourns the tragic passing of BAFANA Bafana Star Jayden Adams
Malvern De Bruyn, COSATU Western Cape Provincial Secretary, 11 July 2026
The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) is deeply shocked and saddened by the tragic death of Bafana Bafana and Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder, Jayden Adams. We extend our heartfelt condolences to his family, teammates, and the entire South African football fraternity.
At just 25 years old, Jayden was a rising star who carried the hopes of the nation with distinction, having recently represented South Africa at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. His tragic passing is an immeasurable loss not only to his loved ones but to the Country at large.
Jayden began his career at Stellenbosch FC before joining Mamelodi Sundowns in January 2025, quickly becoming a proud asset for the game. His talent and dedication on the pitch inspired many.
COSATU calls on the relevant authorities to ensure a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death.
We also urge employers and sporting bodies to provide comprehensive support for his family, friends, and teammates during this painful period as well as athletes throughout their careers.
South African football has lost a gifted player and a young life that still had so much to offer. May his soul rest in eternal peace.
Issued by COSATU Western Cape
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NUM’s Nelson Mandela Day 67 minutes of service campaign at Itireleng Association for Physically Disability Centre,17th and 18th July 2026 in Mohlakeng
Nthabiseng Mashiteng, NUM National Women’s Structure Secretary, 10 July 2026
The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) PWV Region, the National Women Structure and all the NUM entities would, on the 17th and 18th July 2026, host a community outreach programme at Itireleng Association for Physically Disability Centre in Mohlakeng (Randfontein) West Rand in the spirit of the NUM Honorary President Nelson Mandela’s legacy of service delivery to people.
Mohlakeng is one of the Gauteng’s gold mining town in the West Rand which faces a significant infrastructure challenges.
This initiative forms part of the Nelson Mandela Day 67 minutes of service campaign. The Itireleng Disability Community Centre is the home to forty eight (48) community members living with various disabilities.
The Mandela Day 67 minutes campaign is the NUM yearly organisational event championed by the National Women Structure with the intended goal to empower disadvantaged, impoverished and poverty-stricken communities. The host for this year’s campaign is the NUM PWV Region.
Already, the NUM members have commenced with the renovation of the centre to improve the facility. The NUM, led by its National Office Bearers and other dignitaries, will donate valuable items to the beneficiaries.
This initiative reflects the NUM's ongoing back to communities campaigns to promote dignity and making a meaningful difference through acts of service and compassion.
All members of the media are invited to attend and cover this compassionate event in the spirit of the former South African President Nelson Mandela.
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26th Commission for Employment Equity Report (CEE) Annual Report 2025/26
https://www.labour.gov.za/.../2026/26th%20CEE%20Report.pdf
South Africa #ClassSolidarity
COSATU Condemns GEMS' Bad Faith Conduct and Attempts to Undermine Collective Bargaining
Zanele Sabela, COSATU Spokesperson, 13 July 2026
The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) expresses its disgust at the latest conduct of the Government Employees Medical Scheme (GEMS), which has chosen to undermine collective bargaining by negotiating through the media instead of engaging organised labour through the Public Service Co-ordinating Bargaining Council (PSCBC).
GEMS is fully aware that the PSCBC is the legitimate and recognised bargaining platform for all matters affecting public service workers. It is therefore unacceptable that GEMS chose to publicly communicate the Council for Medical Schemes' (CMS) decision to reject the proposed 2% reduction in the 2026 members' contribution increase before first briefing organised labour.
Adding injury to insult, GEMS has now issued a circular directly to workers, informing them of the CMS decision while completely bypassing their representatives. This has created unnecessary confusion, with workers approaching our unions for answers that GEMS has failed to provide. Such conduct is disrespectful, undermines collective bargaining and constitutes negotiating in bad faith.
Earlier this year, when workers overwhelmingly rejected the proposed 9.8% increase in members' contributions, COSATU engaged GEMS through the PSCBC, the proper and lawful bargaining forum. Those engagements resulted in the increase being reduced from 9.8% to 9.5%. Workers rejected the insignificant 0.3% reduction and COSATU subsequently staged a picket outside the GEMS Head Office in Pretoria to demand meaningful relief.
Following further negotiations at the PSCBC, organised labour and GEMS reached an agreement to reduce the proposed increase from 9.5% to 7.5%, subject to the approval of CMS. Consistent with good faith bargaining, COSATU only communicated this outcome to its members and the public after engaging GEMS through the appropriate structures.
It is therefore deeply disappointing that, following the CMS decision not to approve the proposed reduction, GEMS has abandoned these same principles by rushing to the media and communicating directly with workers instead of first reporting back to organised labour through the PSCBC.
COSATU will not allow GEMS to go rogue and erode established collective bargaining processes. We have formally written to GEMS demanding an urgent meeting at the PSCBC where it must provide organised labour with a comprehensive explanation of the CMS decision and account for the reasons the application for the reduced contribution increase was not approved.
COSATU is not convinced that GEMS presented a sufficiently compelling case to the CMS in support of the agreed 7.5% increase. This raises serious questions that require transparent engagement with organised labour rather than one-sided public communication.
Collective bargaining institutions exist for a reason. They cannot be bypassed whenever it suits an employer or public entity. COSATU rejects GEMS' bad faith negotiating tactics and expects it to respect the PSCBC and the role of organised labour by urgently confirming a date and time for a genuine, bona fide engagement.
Issued by COSATU
International-Solidarity
South East Asia youth to launch labour education campaign
10 July, 2026
Young unionists from South East Asia have proposed a regional labour education campaign, announced on 3 July 2026. The campaign will run on social media
platforms such as TikTok and Instagram. It will cover trade unionism, workers' rights, wage and benefits, Convention 190 and safety and health.
The co-chair of the recently formed Asia Pacific regional youth committee, Jean Faye Daguman, said:
“We will discuss with union leaders to propagate labour education videos on the social media accounts of IndustriALL affiliates in the region. In the next six months, we aim to reach out to 4,000 young workers and recruit about 700 young workers from seven
countries.”
The proposal came out of the third IndustriALL-FES South East Asia youth academy. There, twenty young unionists gathered in Rizal, the Philippines. They identified a lack of labour education and relevant policy as the most pressing issues to address. Notably,
labour education is central to organizing young workers into trade unions.
In general, young workers lack knowledge of labour rights. The public education system does not equip them with knowledge of basic legal protections once they leave school and enter the workforce. Popular labour education can help win the hearts and minds of
young workers.
Over the four day academy, unionists from Cambodia, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam explored organizing skills. These included workplace mapping and analysis, increasing union density, one-on-one conversations and reaching
young workers through online tools.
Building on the global supply chain module from 2025, participants deepened their understanding of decent work in global supply chains. In addition, safeguarding fundamental workers’ rights is essential to achieving decent wages. Organizing in the supply chain
and building leverage for workers’ power are also essential for decent wages and working conditions.
Young unionists also had frank exchanges on the differences between senior and young unionists. While acknowledging the value of senior leaders’ experience and knowledge, they called for more opportunities to develop their capacity and make decisions. They
also called for sufficient funding for youth development.
IndustriALL youth and project officer, Sarah Flores, said:
“Diversity is our strength. But that strength is worthless if it remains confined to boardrooms. When young people from all countries engage in debate, their primary mission must be to take it to the workplace and organize workers where they are. Our goal is
clear: to build a future where people reclaim power over profit through mass mobilization and organization.”
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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