Taking COSATU Today Forward Special Bulletin, 20 August 2025 #CosatuCC2025
Norman Mampane
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COSATU TODAY #Cosatu scheduled to convene its ordinary 8th Central Committee next month, September in Johannesburg #CosatuCC2025 #WorkerControl #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
20 August 2025
“Build Working Class Unity for Economic Liberation towards Socialism”
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Contents
- Workers Parliament: Back to Basics!
- National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) on the Potential Closure of Assmang Beeshoek Mine
- Media Alert: National Minimum Wage (NMW) Commission invites written representations for consideration to 2026 wage adjustment.
- South Africa
- COSATU KZN Statement on the utterances by KZN Police Commissioner blaming unions for declining government workforce
- KwaZulu-Natal Education embarks on employee verification programme
- International-Workers’ Solidarity!
- Malaysia: union condemns dismissals at XSD International Paper
Workers’ Parliament-Back2Basics
National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) on the Potential Closure of Assmang Beeshoek Mine
Mosepedi Sanane, NUM Kimberley Regional Secretary, 20 August 2025
The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) is deeply concerned about the future of the Assmang Beeshoek Iron Ore mine and the livelihoods of its members. The mine, located near Postmasburg in the Northern Cape, is facing a critical threat of closure, with devastating consequences for the region.
Notice of Potential Retrenchments
Assmang has served a Section 189(3) notice in terms of the Labour Relations Act, indicating its intention to begin consultations regarding the possible retrenchment of 688 workers. This potential mass job loss is a direct result of the financial struggles faced by ArcelorMittal South Africa (AMSA), the mine's sole major client.
The NUM views this as more than just a corporate decision; it is a direct blow to hundreds of families in the Northern Cape and a significant threat to the already high unemployment rate in the province. The closure of Beeshoek Mine would be a body blow to the local economy, and we cannot allow a single corporate decision to erase nearly 700 livelihoods.
The Union's Position and Demands
Our foremost priority is to safeguard the jobs, livelihoods, and dignity of our members. We are committed to a process that upholds the principle that retrenchment must be a measure of absolute last resort.
To that end, we demand full transparency from the employer. We expect full disclosure on:
• The commercial reasons for the proposed retrenchments and why other alternatives were rejected.
• The rationale for considering "Care and Maintenance" instead of outright closure.
• The precise number of employees who will be affected, which is currently estimated at 688.
• The impact on the community and existing long-term contracts, especially those related to outsourced services.
• Proposed selection criteria and details regarding severance pay, as well as benefits like medical aid and long-term policies.
The NUM will engage in consultations to explore all possible alternatives to retrenchment, including:
• Hiring and overtime freezes.
• Redeployment within Assmang or other ARM joint ventures.
• Reskilling opportunities and voluntary separation packages.
We will ensure the employer provides robust social support structures for our members during this period. No worker will face this process alone.
We remind the employer that this consultation process must be meaningful and conducted in good faith. Any attempt to fast-track or undermine the process will be legally challenged through the CCMA or Labour Court.
Way Forward
The NUM will engage meaningfully in the forthcoming consultations. However, we are clear that we will robustly challenge any attempt at unfair job losses. Our members will be kept fully informed of every development, and we will consider collective action if the employer acts in bad faith. We also anticipate that the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) will play its role as per Section 52 of the MPRDA.
Message to Our Members
To our members at Beeshoek Mine: Stay united and calm. Your union is at the table fighting for you. We will ensure you are fully informed of every development. Together, we will fight for fairness, transparency, and to make sure that retrenchment is truly the last option explored.
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Media Alert: National Minimum Wage (NMW) Commission invites written representations for consideration to 2026 wage adjustment.
The National Minimum Wage (NMW) Commission is inviting all interested parties or stakeholders to make written submission for possible adjustments to the NMW for 2026.
The NMW Commission said it will publish its annual report and recommendations concerning possible adjustment to the National Minimum Wage to the Minister of Employment and Labour later in 2025, in accordance with Section 6(2) of the NMW Act, No. 9 of 2018.
NMW Chairperson Imraan Valodia encourages interested parties to have their say in the possible adjustment.
The National Minimum Wage is the lowest remuneration rate that employers are obligated and legally permitted to pay their employees for each ordinary hour worked. It is illegal for employers to pay their employees less than the minimum threshold. The NMW was first introduced for implementation in South Africa in 2019.
The minimum wage is currently fixed at R28,79 for each ordinary hour worked. The current rate was announced in February 2025 by Minister of the Department of Employment and Labour, Ms. Nomakhosazana Meth.
The Commission is responsible for annually reviewing and recommending adjustments to the national minimum wage. It also investigates and reports annually to the Minister on the impact of the national minimum wage on the economy, collective bargaining, and income differentials, making this information available to the public.
Representations should reach the directorate: Employment Standards, Department of Employment and Labour, Private Bag X117, Pretoria, 0001 or be sent to nmwr...@labour.gov.za by 18 September 2025.
In addition to making representations on NMW the Commission is appealing to interested parties to complete a survey questionnaire on the link: https://forms.office.com/r/jXFtcZag90?origin=1prLink and the link can also be accessed on the Department of Employment and Labour’s website and social media pages.
For media inquiries, please contact:
Teboho Thejane
Departmental Spokesperson
082 697 0694/ teboho....@labour.gov.za
COSATU KZN Statement on the utterances by KZN Police Commissioner blaming unions for declining government workforce
Edwin Mkhize, COSATU KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Secretary, 20 August 2025
The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) in KwaZulu-Natal acknowledges and commends the important work done by the Provincial Police Commissioner, Lt. Gen. Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, and members of the South African Police Service in combating violent crime across the province. The fight against crime requires resources, commitment, and leadership, and we salute all men and women in uniform who continue to serve under difficult conditions.
However, COSATU is deeply concerned and disappointed by the Commissioner’s recent utterances during a Stakeholder Engagement on Crime in Durban, where he placed the blame for reduced government workforce numbers on unions and workers demanding better wages. These remarks are misplaced, out of context, and risk creating unnecessary tension between the labour movement and law enforcement leadership.
The reality is that the crisis of inadequate staffing and poor resourcing in the police and other sectors of the state is not the making of workers or their unions. Instead, it is the result of neoliberal austerity measures imposed on government, often influenced by credit rating agencies and capitalist interests, which have forced the state to cut back on hiring while the population and service demands continue to grow.
For decades, COSATU and progressive forces have raised the alarm about South Africa’s status as one of the most unequal societies in the world, where wealth is concentrated in the hands of a few and dominated by imperialist interests.
This includes, bloated size of government at the level of Ministers and Deputy Ministers, who enjoy lucrative packages, while frontline workers such as teachers, nurses, police officers, and other public servants are underpaid and overburdened.
The persistent use of workers as scapegoats for the failures of capitalism and inefficiencies of government systems is unfortunate.
It is simply false to suggest that workers are “too expensive.” Studies consistently show that the labour share of national income has been declining for decades, while profit margins of big business have risen sharply. Workers are not the problem – the problem is structural inequality, wasteful expenditure at the top, and misplaced priorities.
When COSATU and its allies advanced the struggle for a National Minimum Wage, vulnerable workers such as security guards, farmworkers, cleaners, retail and hospitality workers were told by business, the Democratic Alliance, and neoliberal forces that we were threatening jobs.
They argued that “half a slice of bread is better than nothing.” Yet, workers cannot be expected to carry the economy on empty stomachs while the elite benefit disproportionately from their labour.
Our fight for a Living Wage is not about greed; it is about fairness, dignity, and survival in the face of a rising cost of living. Police officers, nurses, teachers, and other public servants perform critical work that holds society together. To turn around and blame them for staff shortages is not only unfair, but dangerously divisive.
COSATU calls upon government leaders and officials to respect the principles of collective bargaining. Wage negotiations must be conducted at the appropriate bargaining councils, not through public platforms that mislead society and create hostility towards workers.
This perception of workers by KZN Police Commissioner might be dangerous if it remains unresolved, as police are the ones who get deployed to our programmes.
We urge all in leadership to adopt a holistic approach: address austerity, tackle inequality, reduce waste in government, and invest in the frontline services that communities depend on. Workers are not the enemy – they are the backbone of our democracy and the economy.
We agree that this matter needs further engagement and as COSATU we are prepared to engage the Police Commissioner on his context, and possible joint programme to address the concerns.
Issued by COSATU KwaZulu Natal
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KwaZulu-Natal Education embarks on employee verification programme
19 Aug 2025
The
KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education will be embarking on a rigorous employee verification process to ensure that the correct number of employees are legitimately receiving remuneration through the Department's persal systems.
This process has been necessitated by instances where delays in the administrative termination of employees—due to retirement, resignation, or death—have resulted in continued salary payments long after the individuals have exited the Department.
Upon identifying these discrepancies, the Department engaged the Provincial Treasury to assist with the necessary IT infrastructure to facilitate this large-scale verification exercise and to ensure the quality and integrity of the process.
The initiative, initially launched by the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education, has since been adopted as a national programme by the National Department of Basic Education. It will be implemented across the country under the leadership of the Education Labour
Relations Council (ELRC), commencing with KwaZulu-Natal.
The Department welcomes the support of the National Department of Basic Education, as this approach will help standardize processes across the education sector. The outcomes of the verification will guide future policy decisions and preventative measures.
“We are confident that the verification process will enhance transparency, accountability, and good governance,” said the MEC for Education, Mr. Sipho Hlomuka. He also called for the full cooperation of all Department employees to ensure the success of the
initiative. Details of the verification process will be communicated in due course.
Media enquiries:
Mr
Muzi Mahlambi:
Head of Communication
Cell:+27 82 519 1420
Mr Mlu Mtshali:
Media Liaison Officer
Cell: +27 82 088 5060
Issued by KwaZulu-Natal Education
International-Solidarity
Malaysia: union condemns dismissals at XSD International Paper
20 August, 2025
The Paper and Paper Products Manufacturing Employees Union (PPPMEU) is calling out XSD International Paper for union busting after dismissing 20 union activists.
PPPMEU won a secret ballot for union recognition on 31 July, securing the support of 63.71 per cent of XSD workers. Following the vote, management reportedly urged union activists to form a company-level union instead, which they refused.
On 11 August, the company announced it was facing a business downturn and issued retrenchment notices to 20 union members. The notices included compensation and payment in lieu of the notice period, with immediate termination of employment.
A clear union busting tactic, the unionists filed a complaint with the Malaysian Industrial Relations Department to demand reinstatement. A further complaint on anti-union discrimination is being prepared.
On 20 August, IndustriALL general secretary Atle Høie wrote to XSD, stressing the blatant violation of Article 2 of the ILO Convention 98 on the right to organize and collective bargaining, which protects workers from acts of anti-union discrimination. He called on XSD to immediately reinstate the 20 union activists and to stop all acts of union busting.
Tom Grinter, IndustriALL pulp and paper director, says:
“We are disappointed to see the anti-worker behaviour of XSD. XSD must respect its workers’ right to unionize and bargain collectively with the company. We will communicate this union busting case to the network of paper unions and take necessary actions.”
Mohd Firdaus bin Abd Raji, PPPMEU general secretary, says:
“The claim that the XSD is facing a business decline is questionable. Our members said the production activities remain stable and workers are required to do overtime. I urged the company to stop using excuses to retaliate against workers who voted for trade unions. Respect their freedom of association, please!”
XSD International Paper, a subsidiary of Hangzhou Fuyang Sehngda Paper Holding Ltd of China, established operations in Malaysia in 2018 and acquired NTPM Paper Mill (Bentong) in 2020.
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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