Taking COSATU Today Forward Special Bulletin, 29 April 2026 #CosatuMayDay2026
Norman Mampane
|
COSATU TODAY COSATU Call Center Contacts: 010 002 2590 #COSATU National May Day celebrations countdown underway… #ClassWar #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
29 April 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!
- COSATU Western Cape invites the media to our may day 2026 celebrations in Mbekweni, Paarl
- Media accreditation for COSATU May Day celebrations officially open
- South Africa
- SAMWU calls on workers to attend May Day celebrations nationwide
- NUM calls for mass mobilisation against systematic attacks on the working class this May Day
- COSATU and FEDUSA give GEMS until 6 May to review unaffordable 9.5% contribution increase or face intensified worker action
- NEHAWU statement on NSFAS Board resignations
- Government advances SoNA commitments on border control and workplace compliance
- International-Workers’ Solidarity!
- International workers’ memorial day: when work breaks the mind as well as the body
Workers’ Parliament-Back2Basics #ClassWar
COSATU Western Cape invites the media to our may day 2026 celebrations in Mbekweni, Paarl
Malvern
De Bruyn, COSATU Western Cape Provincial Secretary, 29 April 2026
The
Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) in the Western Cape cordially invites members of the media to cover this year’s May Day event, scheduled for 01 May 2026 at the Mbekweni Stadium in Paarl.
The event will commence at 10H00 and will feature a line-up of prominent Speakers, as well as cultural entertainment celebrating the historic significance of Workers Day.
Speakers include:
* Comrade Simphiwe Daniel Gada – COSATU Speaker
* Comrade Yunus Carrim – SACP Speaker
* Comrade Gwede Mantashe – ANC Speaker
* Comrade Gilbert Mosena – SANCO Speaker
Members of the media are requested to arrive early to facilitate accreditation and set up.
Issued
by COSATU Western Cape
For
interview requests, accreditation, or further information, please contact: Malvern De Bruyn on 060 977 9027 Motlatsi Tsubane on 074 482 6180
____________
Media accreditation for COSATU May Day celebrations officially open
Zanele Sabela, COSATU Spokesperson, 08 April 2026
The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) has officially opened media accreditation applications for Workers’ Day celebrations on 1 May 2026. The Federation will continue with its tradition of hosting celebrations across the country, with the national rally to be held at Old Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane.
The President of COSATU, Zingiswa Losi will deliver the keynote address, with messages of support from leaders of Alliance Partners: the African National Congress (ANC), South African Communist Party (SACP) and South African National Civic Organisation (SANCO).
COSATU National Office bearers will lead provincial commemorations, alongside leaders of affiliated trade unions and members of the Federation’s Central Executive Committee (CEC).
Applications to cover the national rally may be submitted to mam...@cosatu.org.za or non...@cosatu.org.za.
Alternatively, an application form can be completed via this link:
Media accreditation for COSATU May Day celebrations officially open – Fill out form
Applications to cover provincial rallies can be sent to the following contacts:
1. Western Cape- Mbekweni Sport Stadium (Paarl) at 10:00
Malvern de Bruyn 060 977 9027 or Cleopatra Kakaza 072 312 6822
2. Gauteng - Tsakane Stadium (Brakpan) at 10:00
Louisa Modikwe 082 297 2659 or Itumeleng Moloantoa 071 873 5238
3. Free State- Bultfontein Stadium (Bultfontein) at 10:00
Tiisetso Mahlatsi on 077 607 3012 or Mongezi Mbelwane on 072 308 7658
4. KwaZulu Natal Curries Fountain Stadium (Durban) at 10:00
Edwin Mkhize 082 339 7756 or Khaliphile Cotoza 082 339 5760
5. Mpumalanga- Kamagugu Stadium (Mbombela) at 10:00
Thabo Mokoena 082 799 5699 or James Mahlabane 064 753 9055
6. Northern Cape- Open Air Arena (Galeshewe) at 10:00
Thandi Makapela 079 481 9077
7. North West- Olympia Stadium (Rustenburg) at 10:00
Kabelo Kgoro 067 410 4696
8. Eastern Cape - Nangoa Jebe Hall – Gqeberha, Orient Theatre (kuGompo) – Buffalo City, Tobi Kula Indoor Sports Centre (Komani) and Lusikisiki College Great Hall at 10:00
Mkhawuleli Maleki 082 339 5482
Issued by COSATU
Zanele Sabela (COSATU Spokesperson)
Mobile: 079 287 5788 / 077 600 6639
Email: zan...@cosatu.org.za
South Africa #ClassSolidarity
SAMWU
calls on workers to attend May Day celebrations nationwide
Dumisane
Magagula, SAMWU General Secretary, 29 April 2026
The South African Municipal Workers’ Union (SAMWU) calls on all municipal and water sector workers, their families, and the broader working class to actively participate in the May Day commemorations on 1 May 2026, organised by our federation, COSATU.
May Day is more than a public holiday, it is a day forged in struggle, sacrifice, and the blood of workers who fought for dignity, fair conditions, and the fundamental rights we exercise today. From the historic 1886 Chicago strikes to the militant traditions
of organised labour in South Africa, May Day remains a powerful symbol of working-class unity and resistance against exploitation.
For SAMWU, this day is also a solemn moment of remembrance. We honour the memory of our comrades who lost their lives in the tragic 2003 bus accident while travelling to May Day celebrations in QwaQwa, Free State.
These were committed trade unionists who, in their final moments, were moving to stand in unity with their class. We carry their legacy forward, their sacrifice reinforces our resolve to continue the fight for workers’ rights.
May Day 2026 arrives as we reflect on the deepening crises within our municipalities.
Workers face the persistent non-payment or late payment of salaries, the collapse of service delivery, and the systematic victimisation of those who speak out against corruption and maladministration. These realities are a direct assault on the dignity of workers
and undermine local government’s role as a vehicle for community development.
We find ourselves at a critical juncture for the municipal sector. Municipal workers are battling worsening conditions, political interference, and austerity measures designed to roll back hard-won rights.
The erosion of capacity within local government is a direct result of the undermining of its workforce. Therefore, workers must use May Day not only to commemorate the past but to organise for the future.
We call on all workers to attend May Day rallies in massive numbers under the COSATU banner. Our participation must not be merely symbolic; it must be a demonstration of collective power. We must send an unmistakable message to employers and the state that
the working class remains organised, militant, and ready to defend its interests.
Furthermore, SAMWU emphasises that May Day must serve as a platform to deepen political consciousness.
As we approach the local government elections, workers must recognise their power to shape the political and economic direction of the country.
We urge all SAMWU members to mobilise within their workplaces, regions, and communities to ensure a maximum turnout. Let May Day 2026 be a definitive display of unity, strength, and our unwavering commitment to a just and equitable society.
Issued by the SAMWU Secretariat
Dumisane Magagula
General Secretary
076 580 4029
Sam Lekhuleni
Deputy General Secretary
076 785 9969
Papikie Mohale
National Media Officer
076 795 8670
____________________________
NUM calls for mass mobilisation against systematic attacks on the working class this May Day
Livhuwani Mammburu, NUM National Spokesperson, 29 APRIL 2026
The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) calls on all members to join the COSATU May Day Rallies across South Africa this Friday, May 1. This call to action comes as the union expresses grave concern over a coordinated and systematic onslaught currently facing the working class.
The Crisis of Retrenchments and Casualisation
The NUM is witnessing a disturbing trend in the mining, energy, construction, and metal sectors, where mass retrenchments are being used to dismantle the permanent workforce. We condemn the growing reliance on contractors—a blatant strategy to bypass established labour rights.
This shift toward "slavery salaries" and extreme exploitation is directly resulting in the erosion of workplace dignity and a dangerous decline in health and safety standards.
Assault on Collective Bargaining and Public Services
The union further condemns the coordinated attack on collective bargaining by both the public and private sectors. Combined with harsh austerity measures, the government’s failure to provide essential services has left working-class communities in a state of neglect. This systemic failure is further compounded by:
• The Rising Cost of Living: Rapidly depleting the disposable income of workers and their families.
• A National Unemployment Crisis: A staggering 33% unemployment rate that remains unaddressed.
• Unchecked Crime: A breakdown in safety that threatens our members both at work and in their homes.
A Call to Action
The struggle for a living wage and job security is far from over. The NUM urges every member to mobilise and attend the May Day Rallies in full force. We must stand united to defend our hard-won rights and demand an end to the exploitation of the working class.
United We Stand, Divided We Fall.
____________________________
COSATU and FEDUSA give GEMS until 6 May to review unaffordable 9.5% contribution increase or face intensified worker action
29 April 2026
The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) and the Federation of Unions of South Africa (FEDUSA) have placed GEMS on notice following yesterday’s engagement on the unaffordable 9.5% contribution increase imposed on public servants from 1 February 2026.
GEMS came to the meeting with explanations that do not shift the hardships faced by workers. The Scheme’s presentation confirmed what organised labour has warned all along: the crisis facing GEMS is not an act of nature. It is the result of governance weakness, weak cost controls, poor planning, unmanaged financial leakages including fraud, delayed intervention and executive failure. Public servants must not be turned into the bailout mechanism for a Scheme that failed to act when the warning signs were already visible.
COSATU and FEDUSA entered the meeting expecting GEMS to table a serious solution. That expectation was not met. Instead, GEMS leaned on actuarial modelling, reserve requirements, claims pressure and industry comparisons to justify an increase that workers cannot afford. Organised labour rejects this defence. An actuarial report may explain how GEMS priced the crisis, but it does not absolve the Board and executive management from responsibility for how the Scheme got here.
GEMS was not established as a commercial medical scheme. It was built as a social solidarity scheme for public servants. It cannot now behave like a private scheme by shifting institutional failure onto members while asking workers to accept reduced benefits, higher contributions and weaker protection.
Labour has made it clear that the 9.5% increase must be substantively reviewed. GEMS must also engage the regulatory space properly, including whether relief can be sought from the Council for Medical Aid Schemes in relation to the 25% reserve requirement, instead of using compliance as a shield against affordability.
COSATU and FEDUSA have given GEMS until 6 May 2026 to return with a substantive response. That response must deal directly with the review of the 9.5% increase. GEMS must also commit to a formal engagement framework with organised labour.
Labour is demanding a memorandum of understanding that provides for leadership-level engagements at least twice a year, supported by a working committee through the PSCBC. Never again must workers be confronted with contribution increases and benefit changes as already-made decisions.
If GEMS returns with another technical defence instead of a real review, COSATU and FEDUSA will escalate the campaign. All options remain on the table, including intensified workplace mobilisation, mass demonstrations including the withdrawal of labour, regulatory interventions and legal challenges. Public servants built this Scheme, and they sustain it every month through their hard-earned contributions. They will not be treated as passive funders of governance failure.
Affordable healthcare is not a privilege. It is a worker right.
Issued jointly by COSATU and FEDUSA
For interviews and inquiries contact:
Zanele Sabela (COSATU Spokesperson)
Mobile: 079 287 5788 / 077 600 6639
Email: zan...@cosatu.org.za
OR
Betty
Moleya
FEDUSA Communications Officer
Mobile: 063 736 5533
Email: communi...@fedusa.org.za
_______________________
NEHAWU statement on NSFAS Board resignations
Zola Saphetha, NEHAWU General Secretary, April 29, 2026
The National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union [NEHAWU] calls on the Minister of Higher Education and Training, Buti Manamela to stabilise the National Students Financial Aid Scheme [NSFAS] following the resignations of board members of the scheme.
As NEHAWU, we want to upfront express our discontent about the systematic and structural challenges of NFSAS. The scheme continues to lurch from one crisis to another, which in essence has compromised the scheme and post schooling and training sector and has contributed to the bearers besetting the sector which including the following amongst others; financial and academic exclusion of students, lack of student funding, student accommodation and maladministration and corruption.
Indeed, the resignation of people with good standing in society particularly those who just resigned demonstrates the systemic and structural challenges confronting the scheme. Hence, we call on the Minister to expedite the process of ensuring that there is stability and proper governance at NSFAS to ensure the mandate of the scheme is adhered without fail.
The stabilisation of NSFAS requires urgent attention especially against the background of the systemic and governance crisis that confronts the scheme and broadly the post-school education and training sector [PSET]. The department must urgently play its oversight role on NSFAS as a national public entity.
The scheme remains a critical component in the task of transforming the higher education sector. Equally, NSFAS remains a critical instrument in the realisation of providing access to free quality education for poor and working class students.
As a union organising in the higher education sector, we remain more than ready to contribute to the stabilisation of the scheme. Therefore, we would like to see NSFAS functioning properly, stable and being a capable institution that can be used as a vehicle for access to higher education.
As NEHAWU, we will continue working with our progressive allies in the higher education terrain to fight and struggle for the transformation of NSFAS into an instrument that will serve and cater for the needs of poor and working class students.
Lastly, the union will find time to interact with the board members who have resigned to ascertain the degree of their experience regarding these challenges to learn from their experience for future efforts to stabilise this important national asset established to take care of the plight of the working class as it relate to ensure access to higher education system and to ensure that they occupy a strategic position in the political economy.
END
Issued by NEHAWU Secretariat.
____________________
Government advances SoNA commitments on border control and workplace compliance
29 Apr 2026
Firm borders, fair laws: government delivers on SoNA commitments to restore order at ports of entry and workplaces
Government notes ongoing public discourse on immigration, particularly on issues related to illegal immigration, and wishes to reaffirm its commitment to safeguarding South Africa’s sovereignty, security, and the rule of law, while upholding the country’s constitutional values and respect for human dignity.
Government is strengthening measures to address illegal immigration, including tightening border controls to combat unlawful entry, illicit trade, and fraudulent activities that undermine revenue collection and the rule of law. These efforts form part of a broader programme to modernise and reform South Africa’s immigration and border management system into one that is secure, efficient, and responsive to the needs of a modern economy. Key to this transformation is the introduction of the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) system, which will enhance the country’s ability to manage the movement of people in a secure, transparent, and efficient manner.
As part of ongoing reforms, Government has also taken steps to improve infrastructure at ports of entry, including the planned redevelopment of major land ports through strategic partnerships, aimed at improving security, efficiency, and service delivery.
Government emphasises that South Africa is a peaceful and responsible member of the international community, committed to maintaining strong and constructive relations with countries across the region and the world. The country remains guided by the principles of cooperation, mutual respect, and shared development, while firmly upholding the rule of law within its borders. All individuals within the country are expected to comply with the law and contribute positively to society.
Members of the public are strongly encouraged to work together with law enforcement authorities in addressing concerns related to illegal immigration and unlawful activities. Such concerns should be reported to the South African Police Service, immigration authorities, or other relevant law enforcement agencies to ensure they are addressed lawfully and effectively. In this regard, members of the public are urged not to take the law into their own hands.
To date deportations have increased by 46% and since April 2023 the newly Border Management Authority has deported 500 000 people. Immediate steps are being taken to demolish and rebuild South Africa’s six busiest land ports of entry as part of a transformative Public-Private Partnership (PPP). The six ports are Lebombo, Beitbridge, Oshoek, Kopfontein, Maseru Bridge and Ficksburg.
In addition as per President Ramaphosa’s SONA 2026 announcement the Department Labour and employment is in the process of hiring 10,000 additional permanent labour inspectors this year to strengthen enforcement of labour laws, combat exploitation, and ensure compliance alongside police and Home Affairs. This massive expansion aims to boost the existing ~2,300 inspectors and focus on auditing compliance.
Government will continue working with relevant stakeholders to ensure that immigration is managed in a manner that protects national interests and the safety of citizens, while promoting economic growth and maintaining social cohesion.
Media Enquiries:
Ms Nomonde Mnukwa, Acting Government Spokesperson
Cell: 083 653 7485
Mr William Baloyi, Deputy Government Spokesperson
Cell: 083 390 7147
Issued by Department of Home Affairs
International-Solidarity
International workers’ memorial day: when work breaks the mind as well as the body
28 April, 2026
Every year on 28 April, International Workers' Memorial Day calls us to remember those killed, injured or made ill by their work. This year, the crisis in focus is psychosocial risk, less visible than a chemical spill or a collapsed mine shaft, but no less deadly.
According to the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) long working hours alone are responsible for around 745,000 deaths each year. At least 70,000 workers die by suicide annually due to work-related factors. Depression and anxiety cost 12 billion working days every year. Burnout affects around one in five workers globally, and psychosocial risks are linked to more than 10 per cent of all cases of heart disease, depression and suicide.
“Psychosocial risks are not a new phenomenon in our sectors, but they are growing. Workers are facing impossible targets, job insecurity and relentless pressure and it is taking lives. The evidence is clear: a strong union presence and collective bargaining are the most effective tools we have. IndustriALL is calling on employers and governments to act through enforceable laws, social dialogue and recognition that mental health is an occupational health issue,”
says IndustriALL general secretary Atle Høie.
What psychosocial risk looks like in practice
In Ghana’s mining sector, psychosocial risk is highly pronounced. Miners in Obuasi, Tarkwa, and Prestea work under intense physical and psychological pressure, facing hazards underground as well as prolonged mental strain. Poor ventilation, extreme heat, dust, and humidity make underground conditions exhausting, while surface workers and machine operators endure long hours in direct sunlight and operate heavy equipment in peak temperatures. Over time, fatigue, dehydration, and reduced concentration heighten accident risks and place a significant burden on mental health.
Heat stress affects not only the physical body but also psychological well-being. Workers exposed to persistent overheating and production pressures frequently experience increased stress, irritability, and anxiety. Prolonged exposure to these conditions can undermine teamwork, increase conflict, and reduce morale. The International Labour Organization (ILO) recognizes that excessive heat may contribute to cardiovascular strain, kidney disorders, and mental distress.
For many Ghanaian miners, psychosocial risk extends beyond the workplace. Rotational schedules keep workers away from their families for days or weeks at a time, leading to loneliness, family tension and emotional strain. Contract workers face constant uncertainty during periods of significant volatility in gold prices or operational restructuring. For those supporting both nuclear and extended families, income insecurity becomes a heavy psychological burden. In all these, the informal sector face even greater exposure, often without access to adequate safety systems, clean water or union representation.
The union response
A robust and democratic union presence in the workplace provides the most effective protection against psychosocial risks. The Ghana Mineworkers’ Union has led negotiations for collective agreements that address these issues, securing safeguards such as protection against heat stress, access to medical examinations, psychosocial support, and equitable workload distribution.
A fundamental aspect of mining companies’ duty of care is the implementation of straightforward measures to mitigate psychosocial risk. Regular access to clean drinking water, shaded rest areas, work-rest cycles during peak heat hours, temperature monitoring, and confidential mental health counselling are all feasible with sufficient commitment. Supervisors on the other hand require training to identify early signs of burnout, heat-related illness, and emotional distress.
Given that these challenges extend beyond mining and affect other industrial sectors, IndustriALL identifies this issue as integral to its broader mandate of promoting responsible business conduct and human rights due diligence.
What we are calling for
On Workers’ Memorial Day, IndustriALL joins the ITUC in calling for
- Strong laws to prevent psychosocial risks at work
- The need for the ratification of ILO Conventions 176 and 190
- Full involvement of trade unions in workplace health and safety
- Decent work including secure jobs, fair pay and manageable workloads
- Recognition of mental health conditions as occupational diseases
______________________________
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