Taking COSATU Today Forward Special Bulletin, 25 February 2026 #DownWithGEMS
Norman Mampane
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COSATU TODAY #Cosatu public service unions are mobilizing ALL public servants for a National Day of Action, on Thursday at #GEMS Offices, Pretoria #ClassSolidarity #Cosatu40 #SACTU70 #ClassStruggle “Build Working Class Unity for Economic Liberation towards Socialism” #CosatuCallCentre 010 002 2590 #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
25 February 2026
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Contents
- Workers Parliament: Back to Basics!
- SAMWU warns against political abuse of Section 106 process at Tswaing Local Municipality
- South Africa
- COSATU 2026/27 Budget Reactions Statement
- International-Workers’ Solidarity!
- Initiative in Mexico targets industrial homicide after Pasta de Conchos
Workers’ Parliament-Back2Basics
SAMWU warns against political abuse of Section 106 process at Tswaing Local Municipality
Thabang Chachu, SAMWU Mahikeng Regional Secretary, 25 January 2026
The South African Municipal Workers’ Union (SAMWU) in Mahikeng Region expresses serious concern regarding the manner in which the Section 106 investigation into Tswaing Local Municipality has been conducted by the MEC for Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs (COGHSTA), North West.
While Section 106 of the Local Government: Municipal Systems Act empowers the MEC to investigate allegations of maladministration, fraud, corruption or serious malpractice, such authority must be exercised strictly within the confines of the law and in full compliance with principles of procedural fairness and administrative justice.
We are deeply troubled by what appears to be an irregular process marked by speculation, social media leaks and public commentary in the absence of transparent engagement with affected employees and organised labour. There appears to be uncertainty regarding the timeframe of the investigation, the communication of interim findings, and whether those allegedly implicated were formally notified or afforded an opportunity to respond before information began circulating publicly.
A lawful Section 106 investigation must be grounded in reasonable grounds, guided by clear terms of reference, supported by proper evidence gathering, and include engagement with implicated parties before a final report is compiled and submitted to Council. Any deviation from these basic procedural safeguards undermines the credibility and integrity of the entire process.
It has been widely circulated on various social media platforms that certain officials, including members of the so-called “troika”, are implicated and that severe consequences will follow once the report is released. SAMWU places it on record that the union has not been formally notified of any allegations against its members. We have not received notices of investigation, requests for representation, interview invitations, precautionary suspension notices or disciplinary charges. In circumstances where members are implicated in
serious wrongdoing, the union would ordinarily be engaged either through the affected member seeking representation or through a formal process requiring union participation. None of this has occurred. This raises the concern that either no formal findings implicating our members exist, or the process has been conducted in a manner inconsistent with labour law and the principles of fairness. Both possibilities are unacceptable.
Any investigation of this nature must comply with the Promotion of Administrative Justice Act and the broader principles of natural justice, including lawfulness, procedural fairness, reasonableness, the right to be heard and the rule against bias. No worker should be subjected to a trial in the court of public opinion without first being formally charged and afforded an opportunity to respond.
The leaking of unverified or incomplete information to shape a political narrative not only compromises the dignity of employees but also destabilises the municipality and undermines public confidence in governance processes.
SAMWU is further concerned that the Section 106 process risks being reduced to political theatre rather than serving its lawful purpose of strengthening governance. Oversight must never become a tool for factional battles, public grandstanding or intimidation. If serious findings exist, they must be processed through established disciplinary procedures, referred to law enforcement where appropriate, and handled through formal Council processes. Governance cannot be conducted through WhatsApp messages and social media commentary.
Organised labour is a recognised stakeholder in municipal governance. Any process that implicates employees, suggests disciplinary consequences or affects institutional stability must involve structured engagement with recognised unions.
To date, SAMWU Tswaing has not been formally briefed or engaged regarding any specific findings affecting its members, and this exclusion is deeply concerning.
SAMWU supports accountability. We do not defend corruption, nor do we shield wrongdoing. However, we will not allow our members to be politically sacrificed or publicly humiliated without due process. Should it become evident that procedural fairness has been compromised, the union will not hesitate to explore all
available legal remedies, including approaching the Labour Court for urgent relief or seeking a judicial review of the process.
Accountability must be rooted in law, not rumour. Governance must be rooted in justice, not intimidation. SAMWU Tswaing remains committed to defending the rights, dignity and procedural protections of every worker within Tswaing Local Municipality and calls on the MEC and COGHSTA to immediately restore credibility, transparency and lawfulness to this process.
Issued by SAMWU Mahikeng Region
South Africa #ClassSolidarity
COSATU 2026/27 Budget Reactions Statement
Matthew Parks, COSATU Parliamentary Coordinator, 25 February 2026
The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) notes with extreme disappointment the lackluster 2026/27 Budget and Medium-Term Expenditure Framework tabled at Parliament by government.
Whilst appreciating that there are some progressive and important allocations that COSATU campaigned for included in the Budget, as an overall package it fails to respond decisively 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 is focused on balancing the books, not at aggressively kickstarting economic growth or 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 frontline public services have the resources needed to fulfill their constitutional and developmental mandates.
We welcome above inflation increases for health, education and social security as well as R18 billion allocations to enroll 300 000 Grade R learners; R7.8 billion for the National Health Insurance Grants plus R24 billion for revitalising public healthcare, R92 billion for district health programmes, the building of seven new provincial hospitals and R21 billion for the employment of doctors over the MTEF; plus the recruitment of 3 000 staff to digitise civic services at Home Affairs.
Progress made eradicating over 4 323 ghost posts as well as plans to digitise public procurement will help free funds for frontline services. We are deeply worried that no funds appear to have been allocated to the employment of the additional 10 000 permanent labour inspectors pledged in the State of the Nation Address (SONA).
Local government remains the Achille’s heal of the state with more than 60% of municipalities in financial distress and many struggling to provide basic services or pay staff.
The allocation of R27 billion to improve metros’ abilities to provide basic services and bill correctly is critical as are plans to strengthen national government’s ability to timeously intervene in and hold failing municipalities accountable.
Plans to connect over 320 000 houses to electricity and roll out 258 000 smart meters are welcome. We are concerned that these interventions do not go far enough to capacitate often highly dysfunctional municipalities, tackle rising municipal debt or deal with corrupt and incompetent municipal management.
COSATU commends the substantial progress made stabilising and rebuilding key SOEs.
More must be done to enable Eskom to reduce the price of electricity, return Transnet and Metro Rail to full capacity to unlock mining, manufacturing and agricultural jobs as well as 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 help boost badly needed economic growth and jobs over the long term. We are dismayed by the lack of real turnaround plans to set Denel, the South African Broadcasting Corporation, Post Office and Postbank on the path to recovery.
SONA committed government to a Marshall Plan to tackle our unacceptably high levels of crime and corruption, yet no new meaningful allocations have been provided for the Police, the Prosecuting Authority, Hawks or Judiciary to ensure they have the personnel, skills or infrastructure capacity to win this existential war.
Additional allocations for the Border Management Authority as well as for the South African National Defence Force are important boosts, but the latter falls short of ensuring our military personnel receive the full support they require, in particular three meals a day.
Whilst appreciating a 5.8% increase in funding for economic development, the woeful monies allocated for small businesses, industrial and exports sectors, let alone providing the bold stimulus package the economy needs, is deeply worrying.
COSATU applauds the 9.6% above inflation increase for social grants. We are however deeply angered that yet again not even an inflationary adjustment has been provided for the 8 million SRD Grant recipients.
Parliament must correct this shameful failure and transfer the salary increases for politicians to these destitute grant holders. It is equally painful that allocations for the NSFAS threshold have not been adjusted for inflation.
It is disappointing that the Presidential Employment Stimulus has not been increased despite SONA’s commitment to do so.
We welcome relief provided to working and middle-class families by adjusting for the first time in three years tax brackets for inflation. We are bewildered that more resources to capacitate the South African Revenue Service to boost tax compliance have not been provided beyond a measly 2% annual adjustment.
The R31 billion allocation from currency reserves to boost the fiscus is supported.
Although there are important allocations for some frontline and relief measures, COSATU is extremely frustrated that Treasury and government collectively, have once again reduced the Budget to balancing books and missed the opportunity to table 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.
COSATU will be seeking urgent engagements with Treasury and government as well as Parliament to ensure that these failures are addressed. We cannot afford to continue to normalise 1% economic growth nor 41.1% unemployment.
The patience of the working class and society are not unlimited.
Issued by COSATU
International-Solidarity
Initiative in Mexico targets industrial homicide after Pasta de Conchos
25 February, 2026
Twenty years after the industrial homicide at Pasta de Conchos that claimed 65 miners’ lives, families are still demanding justice. Not all the bodies were recovered and Grupo México has never taken full responsibility. A new legislative initiative seeks to reform the law to include criminal liability for individuals in cases of industrial homicide, aiming to prevent tragedies like Pasta de Conchos.
The disaster at the Pasta de Conchos mine in Coahuila killed 65 Grupo México miners working in high-risk conditions. Workers had repeatedly reported serious safety failures, including inadequate ventilation, methane gas build-up and lack of essential equipment. Although the company insisted the mine was safe, later investigations and testimonies pointed to dangerous conditions. Grupo México denied responsibility from the outset and suspended rescue efforts after five days, leaving 63 miners trapped underground.
MP Jesús Jiménez recently presented a bill to the House of Commons in Mexico to incorporate the concept of “industrial homicide” into the Penal Code, with the aim of holding companies criminally accountable for worker deaths resulting from serious breaches of industrial safety and occupational health regulations. The proposal seeks to establish legal mechanisms to prevent similar industrial tragedies.
The initiative was originally drafted by Napoleón Gómez Urrutia, general secretary of IndustriALL affiliate Los Mineros, to ensure corporate responsibility is not diluted through administrative procedures. Gómez Urrutia has also called for the immediate rescue of the workers, an objective, independent and neutral investigation to determine the causes and punish those responsible with the full force of the law, and — in cases of death — fair and dignified compensation for the families.
Gómez Urrutia explained to Mexican publication La Jornada:
“The aim is to strengthen the legal framework so that the corporate obligation to guarantee safety does not remain a dead letter and that, when negligence leads to death, there are clear criminal consequences. It is about transforming the world of work into a fairer and more dignified one, where the lives of workers are worth more than any profit, gain or financial balance sheet. (…) Pasta de Conchos cannot be forgotten or abandoned.”
IndustriALL General Secretary Atle Høie said:
“Twenty years after the tragic industrial homicide in Pasta de Conchos, Mexico, justice has still not been done for the 65 victims and their families. Grupo México has not assumed its responsibilities and the country has not honoured their sacrifice by creating legislation that guarantees corporate accountability, at least not yet. The new legislation must create safe mining and functioning chains of responsibility. The 65 miners who lost their lives and their families deserve this respect, as do all mining communities in Mexico.”
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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