Taking COSATU Today Forward Special Bulletin, 27 January 2026 #Right2LearnCampaign #Back2BasicsCampaign
Norman Mampane
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COSATU TODAY #Back2SchoolCampaign #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
27 January 2026
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Contents
- Workers Parliament: Back to Basics!
- NEHAWU KZN welcomes the appointment of more than 5000 Community Health Workers by the Provincial Department of Health
- South Africa
- Employment and Labour on corpse incident at Seshego Labour Centre
- International-Workers’ Solidarity!
- Defending the value of education: leadership, solidarity, and collective power
Workers’ Parliament-Back2Basics
NEHAWU KZN welcomes the appointment of more than 5000 Community Health Workers by the Provincial Department of Health
Ayanda Zulu, NEHAWU KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Secretary, January 27, 2026
The National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union [NEHAWU] in KwaZulu-Natal welcomes the appointment of more than 5,000 Community Health Workers [CHWs] on a permanent basis. This significant step marks a major victory for thousands of frontline healthcare workers who have long been denied the job security and benefits they deserve.
This milestone is the direct result of NEHAWU’s persistent campaign to secure permanent employment for Community Health Workers and ensure that they receive all the rights and benefits enshrined in South African labour laws. In January 2025, the Labour Court delivered a landmark ruling in NEHAWU’s favour, declaring that all CHWs must be deemed permanent employees.
The court made several critical findings: it was common cause among the parties that there is a permanent need for the essential services provided by CHWs, as acknowledged by the state’s own counsel; the relevant collective agreement was intended only to regulate conditions of employment, not to create or limit the employment relationship itself; and funding received from the National Treasury cannot reasonably be classified as “external” to a government department. On this basis, the court rejected all the justifications presented by the state and applied the deeming provisions of section 198B(5) of the Labour Relations Act (LRA), ruling that all CHW contracts are deemed to be of indefinite duration.
The Labour Court judgment paved the way for the signing of a comprehensive Settlement Agreement, also referred to as the Implementation Agreement, between NEHAWU and the National Department of Health. This agreement gives full effect to the court’s historic ruling and sets out clear timelines and commitments for the permanent absorption of CHWs nationwide. Under the terms of the agreement, all eligible 27,000 Community Health Workers will be permanently appointed at Public Service Salary Level 2, with effect from 1 September 2025. The implementation date of 1 September 2025 includes payment of three months’ net remuneration, while pensionable salaries will commence from 1 December 2025.
In addition, the Department has agreed to provide an interim stipend increase of R1,000 to the remaining 16,687 CHWs for the 2025/26 financial year, effective from 1 September 2025, and continuing until their permanent appointments are finalized.
The parties have further committed to completing the permanent appointment process for the remaining 16,687 CHWs and to determining and implementing a Token of Appreciation for CHWs who have reached pensionable age, no later than 31 January 2026.
NEHAWU regards this outcome as a historic breakthrough that ends years of precarious fixed-term contracts and brings dignity, job security, pension benefits, and fair remuneration to Community Health Workers. These workers have played a vital role in South Africa’s public health system, including during the COVID-19 pandemic, yet they were previously excluded from the protections and benefits afforded to other public servants.
NEHAWU will continue convening membership meetings with Community Health Workers across the province. The purpose of these meetings is to provide updates on the progress of their permanent absorption, address any concerns, and counter deliberate misinformation being spread to confuse and divide workers for narrow, self-serving interests that have no connection to their long struggle for full and decent employment.
NEHAWU remains fully committed to defending the rights of Community Health Workers and to strengthening the public healthcare system for the benefit of all South Africans. This achievement is a testament to the power of collective action and the union’s unwavering resolve to secure justice for vulnerable workers.
END
Issued by NEHAWU KwaZulu-Natal Secretariat Office
Employment and Labour on corpse incident at Seshego Labour Centre
26 Jan 2026
The Department of Employment and Labour confirms an incident that occurred on Saturday, 24 January 2026 at the Seshego Labour Centre where a corpse was discovered on the premises outside normal operating hours.
The South African Police Service (SAPS) was immediately alerted. The matter is being treated as a police investigation, and forensic processes are underway.
The Department notes that a case of theft involving infrastructure was reported at the same office last week, which SAPS is also investigating. At this stage, no conclusions can be drawn, and all circumstances surrounding the incident remain subject to official investigation.
The Labour Centre has been secured, and access is being managed in line with safety and investigative requirements. The Department is cooperating fully with law-enforcement authorities and will await the outcome of the investigation before making further comment.
The Department extends its sincere condolences to the family and loved ones affected by this tragic incident and appeals for sensitivity and respect for privacy during this period.
Further updates will be provided once a comprehensive report has been received from the Province and SAPS processes have been concluded.
Enquiries:
Departmental Spokesperson
Teboho Thejane
Cell: 082 697 0694
E-mail: teboho....@labour.gov.za
Issued by Department of Employment and Labour
International-Solidarity
Defending the value of education: leadership, solidarity, and collective power
Achieving Sustainable Development Goal 4Go public! Fund education, 27 January 2026 written by: Tsogtgerel Zambal Worlds of Education newsletter.
Education is the backbone of social progress and national development, yet in Mongolia, those who dedicate their lives to teaching have long been undervalued. From classrooms to the frontlines of protests, through courage, resilience, and collective action, teachers have secured historic victories. The Federation of Mongolian Education and Science Trade Unions (FMESU) has transformed struggle into solidarity, proving that when educators unite, they can reshape the future.
Campaigning to restore the dignity of the teaching profession
My own journey from a secondary school history teacher to President of FMESU has been shaped by a deep belief that educators deserve dignity, fair compensation, and a strong collective voice. This conviction has guided every step of our struggle to restore respect to the teaching profession and to secure the rights of those who sustain the education system.
FMESU’s mission is clear: to contribute to quality education for all, to create conditions for a dynamic increase in living standards, and to defend the labor rights and interests of our members. These goals are not abstract, they are rooted in the lived realities of education personnel who face mounting workloads, declining mental health, illness, and the consequences of the shortages of qualified personnel. The crisis in education is not only about teachers, but it also directly affects the quality of learning and the future of our children.
In 2023, FMESU joined the Go Public! Fund Education campaign under the name “Боловсролын Санхүүжилтийг Төр Хариуц”. The campaign provided a platform for advocacy, exchange of experiences and best practices with colleagues across the world, particularly in the North Asia sub-region, as well as valuable training in strategy development, planning, messaging, and public engagement. It also provided capacity development and tools for effective communication with the public and decision-makers as well as campaign planning.
The campaign reminded us of a fundamental truth: when educators are organized, informed, and united, real change is possible.
Our advocacy efforts centered on the implementation of the bilateral collective agreement signed with the Ministry of Education, effective from January 2025. Throughout the year, we submitted proposals and formal requests, participated actively in national budget discussions, and held several press conferences to highlight the urgent needs of educators.
In September, we organized a nationwide protest involving 10,000 teachers and education support personnel. In October, to mark World Teachers’ Day, FMESU organized a peaceful sit-in at the main square in front of the Parliament building. Over five days, 5,000 educators participated, braving the cold and fatigue to demonstrate their unwavering commitment to defending teachers’ rights and strengthening the public education system. This was not a symbolic gesture, it was a declaration that educators would no longer remain silent in the face of neglect and mounting depression of their purchasing power and professional value.
When these demands remained unresolved, members made the difficult decision to take industrial action. For 13 days, 40,000 teachers and education support personnel stood united across the country from urban to rural schools. This historic action demonstrated the true power of collective solidarity.
The strike was not easy. It required courage to withstand pressure, resilience to endure hardship, and unity to maintain strength. Families of students and teachers provided food, encouragement, and moral support. The public stood with education personnel, recognizing that our struggle was not only for teachers but for the future of Mongolia’s children.
Through solidarity to victory
As a result of this collective action, the basic salaries of teachers and education support personnel have increased by 50 percent from January 2026, and by an additional 26 percent from November 2026. This victory was monumental. It proved that when educators unite, they can reshape the future.
On 12 November 2025, another milestone was achieved with the successful conclusion of the Collective Agreement for 2026–2028, between the Ministry of Economy and Development and FMESU. Upon registration with the Ministry of Family, Labor and Social Protection, the agreement entered into force, providing a stronger legal framework for protecting educators’ rights.
These achievements were not the result of individual effort, but of unity. It was the culmination of lengthy negotiation, dialogue, and collective struggle. It showed that persistence, resilience, and solidarity can overcome even the most entrenched obstacles.
Throughout this journey, FMESU and our members were not alone. Education International and our brothers and sisters around the world watched closely, sending solidarity and encouragement as the strikes unfolded. Their support reminded us that the struggle for education is global, and that every victory in Mongolia contributes to a broader movement for justice and dignity in education worldwide.
Unity, solidarity, and collective power revealed their true force. Despite the cold, the pressure, and the workload, we emerged stronger, more resilient, and more determined. We proved that courage is not the absence of hardship, but the ability to confront it together.
As President, my responsibility is to ensure that all agreements are implemented fully and without delay, that the rights of teachers and education support personnel are protected, and that our union continues to grow. We remain committed to empowering our members through training, awareness-raising, and education on their rights. Most importantly, we are strengthening and empowering our core foundation, the trade union committees at the school level.
Fair pay, safe working conditions, and respect for educational labor are not luxuries; they are essential investments in the future of our society. The power of our movement lies in solidarity and together, we will continue to defend the value of education.
The story of FMESU’s struggle is one of courage, resilience, and unity. It is a testament to the power of collective action and the strength of educators who refuse to be silenced. Our victories in salary increase, stronger legal protections, and renewed respect for teachers are milestones on a longer journey toward justice and dignity in education.
The Go Public! Fund Education campaign has shown us that when educators stand together, they can change the course of history. We are proud as teachers, as union members, and as a collective force. Stronger, united, and determined, we will continue to fight for decent working conditions, for the empowerment of our members, and for the recognition of education as a national priority.
Go Public! Fund Education – We are stronger together!
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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