Taking COSATU Today Forward, 9 April 2026 #CosatuMayDay2026
Norman Mampane
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COSATU TODAY COSATU Call Center Contacts: 010 002 2590 #COSATU National May Day will be celebrated at Polokwane, Limpopo on May 1 #ClassWar #Cosatu40 #SACTU70 #ClassStruggle “Build Working Class Unity for Economic Liberation towards Socialism” #Back2Basics #JoinCOSATUNow #ClassConsciousness |
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
9 April 2026
“Build Working Class Unity for Economic Liberation towards Socialism”
Organize at every workplace and demand respect for labour rights Now!
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Contents
- Workers Parliament: Back to Basics!
- Media accreditation for COSATU May Day celebrations officially open
- Stakeholders and interested parties invited to make written and/or oral submissions on the Special Appropriation Bill [B3 – 2026].
- South Africa
- COSATU pleased as Concourt deals BRP final blow
- International-Workers’ Solidarity!
- Shipbreaking workers in Bangladesh to benefit from new injury insurance scheme
Workers’ Parliament-Back2Basics
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
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Stakeholders and interested parties invited to make written and/or oral submissions on the Special Appropriation Bill [B3 – 2026].
The Select Committee on Appropriations invites stakeholders and interested parties to make written and/or oral submissions on the Special Appropriation Bill [B3 – 2026]. The Bill was introduced by the Minister of Finance on 25 February 2026. The Money Bills and Related Matters Act, No. 13 of 2018, requires Parliament to conduct public hearings and report on all Bills.
The closing date for written submissions, or to indicate your intention to make an oral presentation, is 14:00 on Friday, 24 April 2026. Public hearings on the Bill will be held virtually by the Select Committee on Appropriations on Tuesday, 28 April 2026 at 09:00.
Submissions must be sent to the Committee Secretariat: Mr Lubabalo Nodada at Lno...@parliament.gov.za or Ms Estelle Grunewald at egrun...@parliament.gov.za.
South Africa #ClassSolidarity
COSATU pleased as Concourt deals BRP final blow
Zanele Sabela, COSATU National Spokesperson, 8 April 2026
The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) welcomes the decision by the Constitutional Court to deny the Northwest Transport Investment (NTI) business rescue practitioner (BRP), Thomas Hendrick Samson, leave to appeal directly to it.
Samson was appointed NTI’s BRP in 2022, when the state-owned bus operator was placed under business rescue following years of financial mismanagement and inadequate oversight by the North West and Gauteng Provincial Governments, under whose joint authority it falls. However, it quickly became apparent that Samson had no interest in turning the entity around and making it sustainable as he failed to account for funds government injected into the company and did not pay workers’ salaries for months on end.
COSATU Affiliate, the South African Transport and Allied Workers Union (SATAWU), petitioned the High Court to have Samson removed as the NTI BRP. In November 2024, the High Court ruled in SATAWU’s favour and ordered Samson’s removal. But instead of bowing out gracefully, Samson appealed the ruling, once again wasting taxpayers’ money meant to rescue NTI for his personal crusade.
In late 2025, SATAWU and its members were vindicated when the Gauteng High Court in Pretoria ruled that Samson was not fit to hold office and ordered him to vacate his role as BRP of NTI. The victory was bittersweet because workers faced the bleakest Christmas having gone without salaries for a heartbreaking 14 months. COSATU and SATAWU were forced to intervene and engage NTI management, the two provincial governments and Minister of Transport, Barbara Creecy.
Workers were ultimately paid their November and December salaries in early January 2026. An undertaking to pay workers’ outstanding salaries, as well as third-party deductions including taxes, pension and medical aid funds was made in February.
Meantime, Samson approached the Constitutional Court directly for leave to appeal his removal by the High Court in Pretoria. COSATU is pleased that the apex court denied the leave to appeal and slapped Samson with costs.
In recent times COSATU has noted a worrying trend of BRPs going rogue and holding companies they are meant to turnaround hostage, while siphoning off their funds. The Federation has consequently called for discussion at Nedlac regarding the tightening of business rescue processes.
COSATU reiterates its call for NTI, the North West and Gauteng Provincial Governments with the support of the National Department of Transport, to put a coherent turnaround plan in place to return the company to sustainability and profitability, and by so doing enable it to fulfil its contractual obligations to its employees as well as to the working-class communities it services.
Issued by COSATU
International-Solidarity
Shipbreaking workers in Bangladesh to benefit from new injury insurance scheme
1 April, 2026
Workers in Bangladesh's shipbreaking industry are set to gain vital social protection under a new employment injury scheme (EIS) pilot, marking a significant step forward for one of the world's most hazardous industries.
Shipbreaking is often called the most dangerous work in the world. Workers face daily risks from toxic materials, heavy machinery and falls. Most of the time workers have little or no recourse when injured or falling ill on the job.
The new EIS pilot has been developed in partnership with the International Labour Organization (ILO). It establishes a fund providing pensions and financial support to workers and their families unable to work due to job-related injury or illness.
The scheme complements the Hong Kong Convention on safe and environmentally sound ship recycling, which sets international standards for the industry.
BIMCO, the world’s largest international shipping association, is calling on its members to sign a letter of intent to contribute to the EIS fund.
IndustriALL Global Union is calling on shipowners to contribute fifty cents per ton to the EIS fund.
Social protection for the world’s most dangerous job
Walton Pantland, IndustriALL’s director of organising and campaigns and shipbuilding and shipbreaking, said:
“Shipbreaking is difficult and dangerous work. It has left a terrible toll of death, injury and occupational illnesses for the workers involved. Those workers who were often abandoned if injured or too ill to work. Just as the Hong Kong Convention makes shipbreaking safer, the EIS scheme provides social protection. This means that workers and their families will receive a pension if they are unable to work. This is the right thing for the industry at the right time. We urge shipowners to contribute fifty cents per ton to the EIS fund to transform the lives of shipbreaking workers and their families.”
The shipbreaking EIS builds on the success of a similar scheme in Bangladesh’s ready-made garment sector. It is the first national employment injury insurance programme for the country’s four million RMG workers, providing lifelong payouts to injured workers and the families of those killed on the job.
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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