Taking COSATU Today Forward Special Bulletin, 28 April 2026 #CosatuMayDay2026
Norman Mampane
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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
28 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!
- POPCRU supports the 2026 COSATU May Day rallies
- COSATU presented its submission on the Budget's Special Appropriations Bill to Parliament
- COSATU supports CWU march in defense of the SA Post Office
- What is the Draft National Rail Master Plan (NRMP)?
- Media Alert: DENOSA to co-host International Nurses Day national event with Eastern Cape Department of Health in KuGompo on 12 May 2026
- Media accreditation for COSATU May Day celebrations officially open
- South Africa
- COSATU General Secretary Solly Phetoe: Address at COSATU Western Cape Provincial Shop Steward Council
- Government's extended fuel levy relief is a positive step forward, but more may be needed
- International-Workers’ Solidarity!
- Education International remembers Petra Gwyn-Jones
Workers’ Parliament-Back2Basics #ClassWar
POPCRU supports the 2026 COSATU May Day rallies
Richard Mamabolo, POPCRU General Secretary, 28 April 2026
The Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (POPCRU) stands firmly behind the upcoming Congress of South African Trade Unions May Day rallies scheduled for Friday, 01 May 2026, and calls on all its members across the country to attend these historic gatherings in their full numbers.
May Day is not merely a date on the calendar. It is a living symbol of the sacrifices, struggles, and victories of the international working class.
It is rooted in the blood and sweat of workers who fought against exploitation, long working hours, unsafe conditions, and the denial of basic human dignity.
From the Haymarket struggle in 1886 to the anti-apartheid labour movement in South Africa, May Day has always been a militant platform of resistance, unity, and renewal.
In South Africa, May Day carries a special revolutionary significance. It was the organised might of workers, united under formations such as COSATU, that played a decisive role in dismantling apartheid and advancing the National Democratic Revolution.
It is through this unity that workers secured hard-won gains such as collective bargaining rights, improved working conditions, and the constitutional protections we enjoy today.
However, POPCRU emphasises that the struggle is far from over.
Today, workers are confronted with a new wave of challenges: austerity measures that erode wages, rising living costs, increasing medical aid burdens, unsafe working environments, and persistent unemployment that weakens the bargaining power of labour. In the criminal justice cluster, our members continue to operate under severe constraints — understaffing, overcrowding in correctional facilities, deteriorating infrastructure, and increasing risks to their lives.
This makes May Day 2026 not just a commemoration, but a call to action.
This year’s rallies must serve as a turning point in advancing the interests of workers and the broader working class.
It must sharpen our resolve to defend collective bargaining, demand adequate resourcing of the public sector, and push back against policies that undermine worker dignity.
POPCRU therefore urges all its members, shop stewards, and leadership structures to mobilise decisively and attend the May Day rallies in their respective provinces as follows:
*Limpopo National Rally*
Old Peter Mokaba Stadium, Polokwane
*Western Cape*
Mbekweni Sports Stadium, Paarl
*Free State*
Bultfontein Stadium, Bultfontein
*Eastern Cape*
Nangqa Jebe Hall, Gqeberha
BCM City Hall, kuGompo
Tobi Kula Indoor Sports Centre, Komani
Lusikisiki College Great Hall
*Gauteng*
Tsakane Stadium, Brakpan
*KwaZulu-Natal*
Curries Fountain Stadium, Durban
*Mpumalanga*
Kamagugu Stadium, Mbombela
*Northern Cape*
Galeshewe Open Air Arena, Kimberley
*North West*
Olympia Stadium, Rustenburg
All rallies will commence at 10h00.
POPCRU calls on its members to arrive in their regalia, disciplined, united, and ready to advance the programme of the working class. Let us fill these stadiums and halls with a single message: that workers will not retreat, workers will not be silenced, and workers will continue to fight for a just, equal, and transformed society.
May Day must once again echo with the militant voice of the working class.
Forward to May Day 2026!
Forward to worker unity and power!
An injury to one is an injury to all!
Issued by POPCRU
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COSATU presented its submission on the Budget's Special Appropriations Bill to Parliament
Matthew Parks, COSATU Parliamentary Coordinator, 28 April 2026
The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) presented its submission on the 2025/26 Budget’s Special Appropriation Bill to Parliament’s Select Committee: Appropriations.
COSATU is extremely disappointed with the lackluster Budget and Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) that fails to decisively respond to the fundamental crises facing the working class and the economy, in particular a 41.1% unemployment rate, economic growth far below the 3% needed to create jobs, struggling public and municipal services and State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs), entrenched levels of poverty and inequality, and endemic crime and corruption.
Tragically the Budget prioritises balancing the books at the expense of aggressively kickstarting economic growth and tackling unemployment. Key to providing an environment where the economy can take off and the lives of the working class be improved, is to ensure that the state has the resources needed to fulfill their constitutional and developmental mandates.
COSATU however appreciates that there are important allocations that the Federation campaigned for in the Special Appropriation Bill, including R10.35 billion investments in Transnet’s Durban Container Terminal and its critical North and Iron freight rail corridors, plus R5.77 billion for Metro Rail’s rolling stock renewal programme.
Efficient and modern freight rail and ports are key to sustaining and creating thousands of mining, manufacturing and agricultural jobs as well as generating the tax revenue needed to fund public and municipal services that the working class depend upon. A reliable and affordable passenger rail service is essential to helping 10 million urban commuters, mostly workers, reach their destinations on time and safely. These allocations are a welcome boost towards Transnet and Metro Rail’s recovery. Modern freight and passenger rail are critical to shielding workers and the economy from ever volatile international oil and fuel prices.
The R2.08 billion for the rebuilding of Parliament and R1.16 billion for the holding of the pending local government elections are important to upholding South Africa’s constitutional democracy.
Much more must be done to enable Eskom to reduce the price of electricity, plus return Transnet and Metro Rail to full capacity to unlock the mining, manufacturing and agricultural sectors and to provide efficient public transport for urban workers.
The substantial infrastructure investments over the MTEF of R1.07 trillion, in particular for energy, rail, ports, water, roads and airports will boost economic growth and jobs.
Although there are important allocations for some frontline services and infrastructure, COSATU remains deeply concerned that Treasury and government reduce the Budget to balancing books and miss the opportunity to craft a bold stimulus package that would fix public and municipal services, spur economic growth, boost employment, provide relief for the poor and unemployed, and ramp up tax compliance.
It is urgent that these are addressed. We cannot afford to continue to normalise 1% economic growth nor 41.1% unemployment.
Issued by COSATU
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COSATU supports CWU march in defense of the SA Post Office
Nathen Bowers, CWU National Bargaining Co-ordinator, 28 April 2026
The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) stands firmly in solidarity with its Affiliate, the Communications Workers Union (CWU), as it prepares to march to the Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies, Solly Malatsi, in defense of the future of the South African Post Office (SAPO) and the dignity of its employees.
CWU alongside the South African Postal Workers Union (SAPWU) and the Democratic Postal & Communications Union (DEPACU), will march on the Pretoria offices of Minister Malatsi, on Wednesday, 29 April.
SAPO has been under business rescue since July 2023. Last week the business rescue practitioners (BRP) told Parliament’s Communications and Digital Technologies Committee that the state-owned entity was ready to be handed back to board and shareholders. However, the BRP warned that the future of SAPO was entirely dependent on securing funding to sustain it beyond the rescue process. Mention was previously made of funding to the tune of R3.8 billion for SAPO, but National Treasury recently denied having made such an undertaking.
Meanwhile, thousand of SAPO employees have been retrenched; those that are remaining have not received a salary increase for eight painful years. Worse still, their continued employment remains uncertain.
On Wednesday, protestors will hand over a memorandum of demands to Minister Malatsi and to National Treasury, demanding the following:
Immediate salary adjustments and fair wage increase for workers of SAPO
Full job security and a moratorium on retrenchments
Urgent funding intervention of R3.8 billion to stabilise operations
A credible, transparent, and worker-inclusive turnaround strategy
Meaningful consultation with organised labour on all restructuring processes
Immediate appointment of a functional SAPO Board of Directors
A clear and time-bound exit from the Business Rescue Process
A guaranteed 30% allocation of government business to SAPO
The unions warn that continued delays and inaction will have devastating consequences, not only for workers, but for millions of South Africans who rely on SAPO for essential services, particularly in rural and underserved communities.
CWU, SAPWU and DEPACU are calling on both the Ministry of Communications and National Treasury to prioritise SAPO as a strategic national asset, not a failing entity to be discarded.
Details of the march are as follows:
Assembly point: Union Buildings
Time: 10am
March starts: 11am
End point: iParioli Office Park, 1166 Park Street, Hatfield, Pretoria
Issued by COSATU
Zanele Sabela (COSATU Spokesperson)
Mobile: 079 287 5788 / 077 600 6639
Email: zan...@cosatu.org.za
Nathen Bowers (CWU National Bargaining Co-ordinator)
Mobile: 068 179 3056
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What is the Draft National Rail Master Plan (NRMP)?
Building on the National Transport Master Plan 2050, the 2022 White Paper on National Rail Policy and the 2023 National Freight Logistics Roadmap, the Department of Transport has developed the NRMP to guide the future of rail in South Africa.
The plan is a critical step towards optimising existing infrastructure and directing investment to build a modern, high-performance rail network.
Read
more:
https://zurl.co/8WNlt
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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
COSATU General Secretary Solly Phetoe: Address at COSATU Western Cape Provincial Shop Steward Council
Solly Phetoe, COSATU General Secretary, 25 April 2026
Provincial Leadership of the Federation of Ray Alexander,
Leadership of our Affiliates and Alliance Partners,
Most importantly the rank and file of the Federation, from Beaufort West to Stellenbosch.
Comrades, please accept warm revolutionary greetings on behalf of the CEC of your Federation and our best wishes for your preparations for May Day in Mbekweni.
We are meeting as our members, the working class and the nation face many painful challenges. It takes place as we prepare to celebrate Workers’ Day and 32 years of democracy.
It is essential that we remember those who laid the path for COSATU to be what we are today, the generations of Nana Abrahams and Oscar Mpetha.
We owe it to these stalwarts to continue in their footsteps and when we err, to correct our mistakes.
It is no exaggeration to state that the working class is under siege as never before since the democratic breakthrough of 1994.
The economy has barely grown at 1% for the last 17 years.
Unemployment continues to rise and is currently a painful 41.1% overall and 72% for the youth. Poverty, inequality, crime and corruption remain entrenched. This is greatest crisis facing the working class.
The public and municipal services the working class depend upon are reeling from years of budget cuts, corruption and mismanagement and struggling with critical vacancies.
The many gains we have made since 1994 from investing over 61% of the Budget in working class communities, to providing social grants to 27 million, to tackling the legacies of centuries of racism and sexism, are in serious danger of being eroded by budget cuts and the rising costs of living.
The gains we have made ending loadshedding, rebuilding Transnet and SARS, tackling corruption are at risk of being forgotten as electricity becomes unaffordable, the mining and manufacturing sectors shed jobs and comrades continue to steal from the state.
We now face a potential jobs losses resulting from the US and Israeli war of imperialism in the Middle East and the spike in international oil and fuel prices.
This is a blow the economy and workers cannot afford.
We are engaging government and the Reserve Bank to ensure the economy and workers are cushioned from the fuel hikes and inflation.
The Unemployment Insurance Fund must fix the challenges preventing workers from receiving relief, including the Temporary Employee Relief Scheme.
Workers should not have to queue for days at the Labour Centre in Cape Town waiting for relief due to them.
South Africa is at a crossroads that requires a budget that capacitates the state to provide the essential services the working class needs to survive, to stimulate inclusive economic growth to tackle unemployment and poverty and to provide a better life for all.
This requires government led by the African National Congress to engage with the Alliance, with Business and Labour and communities on a bold and progressive budget to take economic growth to the 3% needed to create decent jobs.
It requires the leadership of government to be decisive in implementing programmes, to deal with those who fail to spend their budgets, to arrest those who break the law or steal.
Society is rapidly losing patience with all of us, even us as the labour movement.
We must go back to basics.
Be close to workers, service them, respond to their needs, report to them.
If we allow the gap to grow between us workers, we will find one day they will abandon us and go to those who are seen to be on the ground with them.
Comrades, much work continues to be done by COSATU with affiliates at Nedlac, Parliament, in the industrial master plans and bargaining councils.
We must not forget that it was our SACTWU in March 2020 who first proposed the Two Pot Pension Reforms.
Today, it is the law of the Republic with more than 3.5 million workers having received over R60 billion to date, the critical challenges is the high tax which COSATU is still engaging on it with SARS.
This is a major victory for workers.
No longer must workers resign from their jobs to access their pension funds.
No longer must they cash out their entire pension funds to access some relief.
Whilst it is not perfect, it is a progressive start and lays the foundation for further reforms to increase relief for workers.
Engagements are taking place with Treasury and industry on reducing the tax burden upon workers, enabling fund members to access further relief and to ensure that workers losing their jobs are able to access all their savings.
Engagements are taking place at Nedlac on the labour law reforms.
In 2022 when government and business tabled their proposals, we were shocked by their attempts to gut the progressive labour laws that took workers decades of hard-fought struggles to win.
We adopted a deliberate strategy to wear down government, to divide government from business and when the time was right after three years of intense monthly and weekly negotiations, to strike and offer compromises on areas that would not harm workers, to block proposals that would weaken workers’ rights and to score victories that would extend protections to millions.
SAFTU and other self-appointed populist critics claim the labour laws will be weakened and that COSATU has sold out.
They claimed the same lies when we achieved the National Minimum Wage, the Two Pot Pension Reforms and countless other victories.
The reality is that SAFTU does not have capacity and only attended 3 out of more than 30 meetings.
Yet they are available to fly to Europe!
Whilst COSATU did not achieve all we had sought at Nedlac, we are confident that we have managed to ensure workers’ rights remain secure and that many critical gains advancing workers’ protections have been won, including:
Defeating a variety of proposals to weaken our labour laws and roll back workers’ rights.
Defeating proposals to exempt SMMEs from the majority of labour laws.
Defeating proposals to reduce the National Minimum Wage to R20 an hour.
Defeating proposals to extend the limit on labour broking to 12 months.
Defeating proposals to remove protections from dismissals for workers under 30 years of age.
Defeating proposals to exempt SMMEs from having to pay retrenchment payments if they had not yet operated for 2 years.
Increasing severance pay for workers losing their jobs from one to two weeks per year employed.
Extending protections for the National Minimum Wage including from deductions.
Guaranteeing on-call workers a minimum number of shifts to ensure they can earn sufficient income to take care of themselves.
Requiring labour inspectors to check pension fund payments compliance by employers.
UIF assisting workers in the event of an employer defaulting on monies owed.
Recognising the rights of atypical workers to join trade unions and engage in collective bargaining e.g. artists, musicians and actors.
Further negotiations that will take place soon on ensuring atypical workers enjoy the protection of the UIF and Compensation Fund.
BCEA provisions compelling employers to pay their employees’ pension contributions will be strengthened including requiring interest to be paid for late payments to the workers’ funds.
Some areas of substantial disagreement remain, including exempting start-ups from collective bargaining council.
COSATU is continuing to engage with government on these to ensure that when the Bills are finally tabled before Parliament, those and all other remaining areas of disagreement are resolved in the interests of workers.
The Bills have been released for public comment and will soon be retabled at Nedlac for final polishing.
COSATU remains confident that the final legislation will continue to protect workers’ rights and that such protections will be further extended.
We hope that at some stage SAFTU’s leadership will mature to play a constructive role at Nedlac.
Seeking media headlines may entertain friends over drinks but does nothing to strengthen workers’ rights in law or reality.
This same SAFTU was absent from the Nedlac engagements on the Merchant Shipping Bill where through COSATU’s interventions, we have secured agreement to extend all labour rights to merchant and fishing workers.
It has again been absent as we seek to improve protections and benefits for workers in the Nedlac engagements on the UIF and the Compensation Fund where we are winning critical victories extending cover to 4 million atypical and informal workers.
Revolutions are won through honesty and hard work. Negotiations require you to pitch up and engage, not to moan and cry.
Comrades it is important that COSATU in the Western Cape continue to work closely with COSATU at Nedlac and Parliament.
This is key to ensuring that the struggles of farm workers in Worcester or clothing workers in Epping are able to feed their struggles to Nedlac and Parliament and for the Federation to be able to report back to them.
It is equally important that we take this information to members and workers, train and empower them to claim their rights.
We will head to the most difficult local government elections in 2026 where if we cannot convince our members, their families and the working class on the importance of voting and voting for the Alliance, we may find the National Democratic Revolution and our many gains under severe threat.
We have seen that coalitions breed instability with mayors changing left, right and centre and little progress made to fix local government or deliver basic services.
We have seen municipal workers left unpaid, pensions pickpocketed, and companies close.
Again, our leadership in government needs to move much faster to turn things around before it is too late.
The state of local government is extremely worrying.
Approximately 60% of municipalities in South Africa are in serious financial trouble.
We have seen up to 36 municipalities struggle to pay staff.
We have seen many struggling to provide basic services, including Kannaland in the Klein Karoo.
We intervened with COGTA to stop the retrenchment of 67 000 CWP employees.
We now need a permanent solution to the crisis of local government, including a new funding model, insourcing EPWP and CWP workers, tackling corruption and removing incompetent politicians and managers.
This is a struggle that SAMWU and COSATU must continue to lead.
We need equally to ensure that the Alliance is not only radically reconfigured but also united.
The African National Congress and the South African Communist Party are our allies. We respect and support them. But we need them not to divide workers.
The ANC and the SACP must engage and find each other and explain to us the modalities to unite the Alliance, including the SACP’s decision to contest state power.
This is a matter that Affiliates must deliberate on, not as leaders but with our membership across the country.
We have set a process as the CEC to engage on this sensitive issue and receive a clear mandate from workers, including holding Special CECs and the Central Committee in September and ultimately our National Congress in September.
We must ensure that the Alliance is united, members are mobilised and the working class turns out in decisive numbers to return the movement to power in the local elections.
Not to enrich politicians but to deliver a better life to all our people, from Vredendal to Knysna.
All liberation movements face a challenge once in power to remain loyal to their working class and rural bases.
In South Africa that the liberation movement led by the ANC, SACP and COSATU is no different.
This is not a challenge unique to South Africa but one that affects the region, the continent and all liberation movements and progressive organisations across the world.
It is not a challenge unique to the ANC, but one that faces the SACP, COSATU, SANCO and the broader mass democratic movement.
Some like the Communist Party of the Soviet Union failed to identify or correct their mistakes until it was too late.
Others like the Communist Party of China, learned from these errors and moved with speed to correct them.
In China, the Party is keenly aware that you must remain in touch with the masses, address their needs, respond to their grievances.
If you don’t and you’re are seen to be corrupt, self-serving, out of touch and unresponsive, then the masses will abandon you.
That is the challenge facing the Alliance today.
When our people see us stealing from departments money meant for medical supplies, when workers see us stealing from their pension funds, when communities in Kimberley cannot access water; then the masses will condemn us.
Our challenge is to continue to cleanse and renew the movement, to rebuild the state and uproot the cancer of corruption, to grow the economy and create decent jobs, to provide relief for the poor and a better life for society.
That is the path to renewing the liberation movement.
Leadership, all of these can only be won, if we have strong Affiliates and COSATU.
We must raise the alarm bells that our membership continues to shrink, many affiliates remain fragile and our campaigns are not felt by workers.
Affiliates in the Western Cape can and must do better.
Your membership is too small.
Can we not revive and ramp up our Red Friday Campaigns and go and work these farm, construction, mine, retail and many other workers by the COSATU Congress next year?
Can we ramp up our campaigns to recruit and service public and private sector workers, from Hermanus to Bellville?
The Federation with Affiliates must do more including arranging training sessions to shop stewards and organisers on how to recruit and service members?
How to train and empower workers?
How to manage investment funds to benefit members not leaders?
How to maintain unity and democratic processes?
How to exemplify the non-racial, non-sexist vision of the Freedom Charter?
Gone those days when shop stewards believed that they were just mere shop stewards, relegating this great role to the lowest levels of opportunities.
It is an important to view the shop stewards role as an opportunity to grow and develop into greatness, as well as an opportunity to walk the corridors of the power.
You will rise through the ranks, just like many of our of powerful leaders who have risen in this country, take yourself seriously, shop stewards are the backbone of unions at the work place, take your seriously and the unions must respect the role of shop stewards, I urge all shops wards to seize the moment, lead with purpose , leave an everlasting legacy,
Remember, to be elected as a shop steward is an honour and a privilege bestowed upon you by the workers, once you wear that crown, you carry the hopes and the aspiration of workers on your shoulders.
Therefore, you have no excuse but to empower yourself with the requisite knowledge of relevant legislation, including policies, regulation, collective agreements, you must be responsive and emotional intelligent, most importantly ,you should contribute to a harmonious working relationship in the workplace but don’t compromise your key responsibilities of defending the workers rights
These are the life and blood of the labour movement. We need to share these good stories of the Federation with our comrades as many have forgotten these fundamentals.
COSATU must be felt in every workplace, town and township across the Western Cape.
Leadership allow me to conclude here, by thanking you for giving COSATU this opportunity to report to you, our members, and for all the support you have given the Federation and most importantly for all that you have done and continue to do for the working class and encourage all of you in this hall to mobilize all workers to attend May Day including being ready for national day of action on cost of living
Amandla!
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Government's extended fuel levy relief is a positive step forward, but more may be needed
Matthew Parks, COSATU Parliamentary Coordinator, 28 April 2026
Government’s extended fuel levy relief of R3 and a R3.93 per litre of petrol and diesel for May and June is a positive step forward, but more relief may be needed due to the massive rise in fuel prices resulting from the war in the Middle East.
The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) appreciates this effort to cushion society from the international oil price spike and the fiscal pressures facing the state. We fear that workers, society and the economy will not cope with the planned reduction in fuel levy relief by half in June and its phasing out in July if international oil and fuel prices continue to rise. Oil and fuel supplies and prices may also take some time to return to pre-war levels even once the war ends.
We are deeply concerned that no relief has been found for the massive rise in paraffin prices.
Diesel is critical for the public transport that workers depend upon as is paraffin for millions of working-class families. Workers already drowning in debt, supporting up to seven relatives each and spending an average of 40% of their meagre wages on transport; will not be able to continue to survive such painful petrol, diesel and paraffin price hikes.
The most important source of relief for workers, society and the economy, is to maintain the fuel levy relief whilst oil and fuel prices remain high. This is the most impactful and cost-effective solution to this global crisis. Additional relief should be sought by making public transport more affordable to commuters.
If the war drags on and inflation rises, additional interventions should be put in place, in particular adjusting social and the SRD grants for inflation, delivering food parcels to social grant recipients, putting in place measures to protect food from inflation with targeted support for agriculture and Transnet, and engaging Eskom on measures to reduce the price of electricity. The Reserve Bank must spare society further pain by not increasing the repo rate as this source of inflation is external and not domestic driven and workers’ meagre wages must be protected from further bleeding.
The private sector must contribute towards an economic and social relief package by committing to end retrenchments and providing loan and insurance payment holidays for struggling consumers. Government with the support of public and private financial institutions must put in place a bold stimulus package to kickstart an under-siege economy.
COSATU will continue to engage government on a package of bold, progressive and decisive measures to cushion workers, the poor and the economy from this global crisis.
Issued by COSATU
International-Solidarity
Education International remembers Petra Gwyn-Jones
28 April 2026
Former Education International Executive Officer Petra Gwyn-Jones passed away on April 19th in Perk, Belgium. The EI team mourns a dear colleague and celebrates her legacy and contribution to the global education union movement.
Born in Woolwich, London in 1959, Petra had a successful international career, working in the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, and Belgium.
During her 19 years with the Education International Head Office in Brussels, Petra worked closely with EI General Secretary Emeritus Fred van Leeuwen, former Deputy General Secretary Charlie Lennon, and General Secretary David Edwards, organising numerous missions, coordinating governance meetings, and managing major EI events. She led the successful organisation of four editions of the World Congress - EI’s highest decision-making body. Coordinating with teams across the world, Petra helped to bring together thousands of delegates from EI member organisations to chart the way forward for education and education workers. She also coordinated the relocation of the EI Head Office in Brussels and the move of the EI Asia Pacific Office from Kuala Lumpur to Bangkok.
Petra led the Administration team with dedication and professionalism, helping EI to deliver on its mission for its 33 million members. Petra retired from EI in 2022.
"Petra was the beating heart of EI for two decades. She was the colleague who organized clothing drives for Ukrainian and Afghan refugees with the same determination and professionalism that she repeatedly organized EI's World Congresses of 2,000 international delegates in different venues around the world. She was well regarded by staff and leaders for her directness, generosity, dependability, and integrity. If you wanted to be sure something was done well, you gave it to Petra. Moreover, she was my friend who facilitated my relocation and integration here so well that I now call it home. It is nearly impossible for me to comprehend that she will no longer be a phone call away, but I will use what I have learned from her as will so many, as a living tribute to her lasting impact and a life well lived,” stated David Edwards, Education International General Secretary.
Petra will be remembered for her remarkable strength, honesty, humour, and genuine friendship. Her formidable presence and her ability to guide and inspire those around her helped to set a high standard of quality and to foster a spirit of resilience and optimism that lives on in the Education International Secretariat team.
Loving mother to Sam and Fleur, wife to Wim, daughter, sister, aunt, and friend to many, Petra will be missed by all.
______________________________
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