Taking COSATU Today Forward, 15 December 2025 #HappyChristmas #HappyNewYear2026
Norman Mampane
|
COSATU TODAY Happy Festive Season to all workers and their families! #HappyBirthdaDENOSA #HappyBirthdaNUM #HappyBirthdayCOSATU! #Cosatu40 #VioletSeboniBrigade #Cosatu40thAnniversary #Cosatu@40 #Cosatu40thAnniversary #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
15 December 2025
“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!
- COSATU Welcomes the PCC Five-Year Legacy Report and Calls for a Stronger, Worker-Centred Next Phase
- Post SADTU National Executive Committee Meeting Statement
- South Africa
- COSATU welcomes the ANC NGC's progressive commitments
- COSATU applauds the SIU's UIF anti-corruption search and seizure operations
- International-Workers’ Solidarity!
- First ITUC General Council meeting in Africa demands action for peace in Sudan
- Kenyan court upholds trade union rights
Workers’ Parliament-Back2Basics
COSATU Welcomes the PCC Five-Year Legacy Report and Calls for a Stronger, Worker-Centred Next Phase
Boitumelo Molete, COSATU Social Development Policy Coordinator & Presidential Climate Commission (PCC) Commissioner Policy Unit, 12 December 2025
The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) welcomes the release of the Presidential Climate Commission’s (PCC) Five-Year Legacy Report, presented at the closing session of the Commission’s first term. The report provides a comprehensive and candid account of South Africa’s progress in building a fair, inclusive, and people centred Just Transition.
COSATU commends the PCC for its commitment to redistributive justice, restorative justice, procedural justice, and for upholding social dialogue, evidence based policy, and robust community engagement. The Commission’s work has ensured that workers, vulnerable communities, women, and young people remain at the centre of national climate planning.
We
also wish to thank the PCC Secretariat, the National Economic Development and Labour Council (NEDLAC) for hosting the PCC, the Minister and Director General of the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) for their leadership, and colleagues
in DFFE as well as across Constituencies for their dedication and technical expertise. COSATU acknowledges the role of Organised Labour in the PCC, ensuring labour’s voice is heard in shaping South Africa’s Just Transition.
COSATU looks forward to the next Cohort of Commissioners as they continue working towards achieving a just and equitable transition. As the PCC moves into its next term, COSATU calls for:
Prioritising of Skills, Reskilling and Upskilling which must be led by workers and alongside Commissioners who represent Organised Labour, Federations and Trade Unions with intention.
Deepened gender, youth, and disability justice, ensuring no group is left behind. These must have dedicated workstreams that ventilate issues of the most marginalised.
Meaningful and expanded worker and community participation in planning as well as implementation.
Full and timely operationalisation of the JTFM and JET Funding Platform with adequate information and support to workers and communities to ensure beneficiation and access to funding for projects and initiatives.
Stronger investment in public services, social protection, and green infrastructure
Protection of jobs, livelihoods, and local economies, rejecting austerity led or market first transition models
COSATU remains committed to working with government, business, and civil society to build a transition that creates decent work, strengthens local economies, and delivers climate justice for all.
Issued by COSATU
__________________________
Post SADTU National Executive Committee Meeting Statement
Dr. Mugwena Maluleke, SADTU General Secretary, 14 December 2025
The National Executive Committee (NEC) of the South African Democratic Teachers' Union (SADTU), held its last ordinary meeting for the year from 11 to 13 December 2025 in Johannesburg, Gauteng. The NEC manages the affairs of the Union and comprises national offices bearers, provincial chairpersons, and secretaries.
As this was the final meeting of the year, the NEC adopted the budget and programmes for
2026. The meeting took place during the Reconciliation Month in South Africa and coincided with the anniversary of the United Nations Declaration of Human Right (UNDHR) adopted in 1948.
The NEC discussed a broad agenda, including organizational, educational, labour, political and other matters.
Educational Matters
2025 National Senior Certificate (Matric) Examinations and Marking:
The NEC acknowledged with urgency that overall, the 2025 National Senior Certificate generally proceeded well in terms of examination administration. However, the examination breach in Gauteng was acknowledged with urgency with the NEC stressing that this incident should not compromise the overall integrity of the examination.
The NEC flagged issues of serious concern in these examinations.
They included:
Learners struggling to cope with exam anxiety and stress leading to transgressions in examination rooms.
A high number of cases of learners falling ill and not being able to write, others writing in hospital and others unable to complete their examinations.
The disturbing practice by some schools preventing learners from writing examinations due to poor academic performance in order to protect school pass percentages. The NEC strongly condemned and vowed to fight against this conduct and demanded immediate action for consequence management for principals and departmental officials found guilty of this. No learner must be denied their right to write examinations.
The NEC reaffirmed with conviction the Union's position of discouraging high stakes in the matric exams and the euphoria which causes unnecessary pressure on learners. A firm foundation on well-resourced early childhood education will guarantee good results instead of late interventions in matric.
Coding and robotics:
The NEC voiced strong dissatisfaction at the incremental implementation of Coding and Robotics in 2026 for Foundation Phase. While acknowledging the value of the programme, the NEC acknowledged with urgency that limiting implementation to schools that meet the School Readiness Criteria will further entrench inequalities in the education system as poorly resourced schools will be disadvantaged.
Other critical concerns include inadequate guidance from the Department of Basic Education (DBE on implementation leading to confusion in the sector. Some provinces did not implement coding and robotics effectively due to lack of funding and support structures and lack of teacher training and support.
Promotion and progression:
The NEC welcomed and embraced the National Assessment Circular 1 of 2025 which guides implementation of promotion and progression and provides for mark adjustment, concessions, accommodation, and condonation. to support the promotion/progression of learners who are struggling to meet the minimum requirements of the existing policy on promotion and progression. The NEC supports this as the existing DBE policy was too rigid, creating bottle necks across grades. Schooling is not meant to make learners fail but is about assisting them to reach their full potential.
The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) School Readiness Report:
The NEC acknowledged with urgency the 2025 South African Human Rights Commission
(SAHRC) School Readiness Report which raised alarm about the state of public education. It identified school infrastructure as the most urgent national crisis, highlighted textbook and learning material shortages, disparities between well-resourced urban schools and rural and township schools, and unacceptable conditions in school hostels.
The report reflects a failure of service delivery and a violation of learners' constitutional rights.
The NEC resolved that the Union must establish a task team to analyse the report and use the information to strengthen SADTU's posture around the challenges raised in the report and demand urgent corrective action from the DBE.
Labour Matters.
The Early Retirement Programme:
The NEC received a bargaining chamber report on the progress of the Early Retirement programme which targets employees aged between 55 and 63 offering financial incentives and early pension without penalties. Concerns were raised regarding provinces reporting financial difficulties in paying for capped leave and resettlement costs related to the programme. The employer assured Council that measures were in place to mitigate the challenges, including filling teacher posts and preventing financial collapses in education departments.
The NEC emphasised that Provincial treasuries must be included in Early Retirement Programme implementation to avoid financial collapse in education departments.
Upgrading qualifications for Grade R Practitioners:
On DBE-UNISA-ETDP SETA partnership to upgrade the qualifications of Grade R
Practitioners, the closing date for applications has been extended to December 19, 2025, with registration commencing from January 7 to March 20, 2026. The NEC acknowledged with urgency that UNISA has rejected some practitioners due to limited space and some applicants not meeting the minimum requirements. The DBE has been requested to engage other institutions higher learning to accommodate those who were rejected by UNISA due to capacity constraints.
GEMS 9.8%increase:
The NEC reaffirmed with conviction organised labour's strong rejection of the 9.8% GEMS contribution increase and criticized the lack of respect shown by GEMS in engagements with the Public Service Coordinating Bargaining Council (PSCBC). GEMS was instructed to consult actuaries on reversing the 9,8% decision and report back to PSCBC by 12 December 2025.
The Joint Mandating Committee continues to engage the board of GEMS on all irritations and challenges raised by members. We intend to meet the Minister of Public Services to address some of these. The Union will continue to update members on any developments around GEMS.
School Safety
The NEC raised serious critical concerns about increasing incidents of learner violence against educators and acknowledged with urgency that educators are not covered under the Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases Act (COIDA) for such incidents
The Department has constitutional and international obligations to protect educators.
The NEC resolved to engage the Ministry of Labour to extend the coverage of the Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases Act (COIDA) to include educators who are injured due to learner violence. Alternatively, the Department should procure a Group Personal Accident cover for these educators, or the Department should self-ensure using appropriated funds to cover damages not incidental to the educator's occupation.
Further, the Union demanded immediate action for strengthened safety regulations including expanded search powers, parental accountability, transport safety measure, compliance with pupil-teacher ratios, emergency alert tools for educators, clear protocols for learner protests, departmental liability for injuries during school related activities and mandatory risk and legal compliance systems in schools.
Alliance and Political Matters
The SACP:
The NEC deliberated on the SACP's decision to contest elections and its implications for the Tripartite Alliance and the National Democratic Revolution.
The NEC reaffirmed the Union's resolution to convene a Special Congress in 2026, prior to COSATU's National Congress, to determine the Union's strategic direction. The union has long resolved that the if the SACP takes the decision to contest the election, a special congress must be convened to allow members to decide on political direction it must adopt.
In the interim SADTU has an existing resolution to support the ANC in the elections as resolved in all the national congresses of the Union.
The NEC underscored the importance of unity and the sacrosanct nature of the Alliance and demanded immediate action for it to be strengthened. The NEC endorsed the idea of calling for an alliance summit in the new year to address tensions arising from the SACP's resolution.
COSATU 40th anniversary rally:
The NEC acknowledged the success of COSATU 40th Anniversary rally and commended the Union for the role it played towards ensuring the anniversary rally's success. The NEC wholeheartedly welcomed and embraced reaffirmations by COSATU and the ANC leadership to strengthen the Tripartite Alliance and to advance the National Democratic Revolution (NDR).
International Matters
The NEC strongly condemned and vowed to fight against Israel's continued offensive in Gaza despite the truce. Since the war began in October 2023, Israel has explicitly targeted Gaza's education system by bombing universities, libraries, schools, and killing teachers and students. The NEC described the systematic destruction of Gaza's education as constituting a scholasticide that aims to destroy the intellectual and cultural infrastructure of Palestine.
The meeting reaffirmed solidarity with Palestine and the Education International (El) resolution recognizing education destruction as a weapon of war.
The NEC also expressed concern over the United State of America's aggression towards Venezuela which undermines national sovereignty and global hegemonic interests. The NEC further stated that U.S. aggression against Venezuela is not merely a geopolitical maneuver but a manifestation of systemic contradictions in the international order.
The NEC resolved that addressing these tensions requires strengthening multilateral enforcement and rebalancing global power relations to uphold sovereignty and international law. The US must never be allowed to bully sovereign states and undermine the United Nations.
The NEC also condemned the US for its decision not to invite South Africa to the G20 in
2026. The US must know that South Africa is a founding member and in the current situation, it is part of the TROIKA.
Conclusion
The National Executive Committee wishes union members, staff, education workers and their families a safe and restful festive season and a prosperous New Year.
END
ISSUED BY SECRETARIAT.
COSATU welcomes the ANC NGC's progressive commitments
Matthew Parks, COSATU Parliamentary Coordinator, 12 December 2025
The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) welcomes our ally, the African National Congress (ANC)’s National General Council (NGC)’s progressive commitments.
COSATU participated fully in the NGC over the past few days and was encouraged by the sense of humility and self-introspection by delegates across the board.
We were pleased that the focus of the NGC was anchored upon the dire socio-economic challenges facing the working class and rural poor, the need to escalate and win the war against crime and corruption, the necessity of a well-resourced developmental state fully capacitated to deliver the public and municipal services that society and the economy depend upon.
Delegates and the ANC’s leadership focus on these issues of fundamental importance to workers is positive, as is the sense of commitment towards the ANC’s renewal efforts.
COSATU welcomes the NGC’s adoption of key proposals submitted by the Federation, in particular the urgent need to develop a bold new investment, trade and localisation strategy supported by a massive industrial, export and SMME financing package, filling frontline public service vacancies and ramping up public employment programmes and continued strategic support for Eskom, Transnet, Metro Rail and other key State-Owned Enterprises are key to stimulating inclusive economic growth. These are an absolute necessity if we are to reach the 3% economic growth rate needed to tackle unemployment.
The Federation supports the NGC’s affirmation that the transformation journey, essential to overcoming the painful colonial and apartheid legacies of unemployment, inequality and poverty is non-negotiable, in particular access to basic and higher education, universal healthcare through the National Health Insurance, comprehensive social security and Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment.
COSATU is pleased that its call for an urgent Alliance Political Council was endorsed by the NGC to address the challenges facing the Alliance, to ensure its radical reconfiguration and to flesh out a united approach towards the 2026 local government elections.
COSATU remains firm, as mandated by its recent Central Committee, in its belief that the Alliance is the only political vehicle that can ensure the fundamental political and economic emancipation of the working class and nourish our non-racial, non-sexist constitutional democracy as envisaged by the Freedom Charter.
We value our relationship with our Alliance Partners, the ANC, the South African Communist Party and the South African National Civics Organisation. It is essential that the Alliance Political Council be convened as a matter of the highest priority. We strongly caution each Alliance partner to avoid any public comments that will distract from this sacred mission and to find solutions that address each organisations’ legitimate concerns, including the reconfiguration of the Alliance.
It is critical that this Declaration’s calls find expression in the 2026 ANC National Executive Committee’s Lekgotla’s Plan of Action, the State of the Nation Address and most importantly the Budget due to be tabled at Parliament in February.
The Federation will continue to work closely with each Alliance Partner to ensure that these progressive commitments are honoured and that we will collectively work together towards delivering a better life for all and an overwhelming victory in the local elections.
Issued by COSATU
____________________
COSATU applauds the SIU's UIF anti-corruption search and seizure operations
Matthew Parks, COSATU Parliamentary Coordinator, 11 December 2025
The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) applauds the Special Investigating Unit (SIU)’s Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF)’s anti-corruption search and seizure operations in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal.
The SIU has been tasked by President Cyril Ramaphosa to investigate allegations of serious corruption during COVID-19 from the UIF’s Temporary Employee Relief Scheme (TERS). These operations are targeting R161 million allegedly stolen from the UIF’s COVID-19’s TERS by 16 companies and 35 persons with indications of syndicates involved.
These seizures reinforce the UIF’s programme to follow the trail of payments made during COVID-19 to ensure that all monies paid are accounted for. These raids are a welcome affirmation by the African National Congress’ led government’s efforts to cleanse the state of corruption.
The fact that the President had to issue a proclamation for the SIU to expedite such investigations in response to COSATU’s call for intervention, confirms the Federation’s long-standing fears of a UIF bedevilled by archaic systems that have enabled the cancer of corruption to spread across this important institution established to provide relief to workers during their moment of need.
It is critical that the SIU, with the support of law enforcement, leave no stone unturned during these long-sought investigations. Those who stole from the UIF, be they officials, members of society, employers or politicians must go to jail and their stolen
properties be returned to the UIF.
It is long overdue that the UIF’s weak management and porous IT systems be overhauled. Those involved in corruption in the UIF must be removed. The cleansing and modernising of the UIF must be a matter of the highest priority. It must be expedited and concluded during 2026.
It has been delayed for far too long.
Workers deserve a well-run UIF where employers can register employees with ease, where workers’ deferred wages are secured, and where workers can access their maternity, parental and adoption leave, unemployment and temporary relief funds with ease. The days of workers being made to queue for days at a time or being sent from pillar to post to access their funds must end.
COSATU will continue to push for this burning matter for workers to be prioritised, including through ongoing engagements at Nedlac.
Issued by COSATU
International-Solidarity
First ITUC General Council meeting in Africa demands action for peace in Sudan
The ITUC General Council has adopted a resolution affirming its solidarity and the urgent need for a ceasefire and inclusive transition for peace in Sudan, during its meeting in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
The more than 100 participants, representing trade unions from every region of the world, adopted a strong resolution condemning the ongoing atrocities in Sudan, including ethnically targetted violence, mass killings, and the targeting of civilians and humanitarian workers. It called for:
An immediate ceasefire and unfettered humanitarian access.
Suspension of external arms flows fueling the conflict.
An inclusive, Sudanese-led transition process.
Accountability for war crimes and support for survivors.
The Council pledged global trade union support to Sudanese workers and their unions, especially the ITUC-affiliated Sudan Workers’ Trade Union Federation.
Meeting for the first time on the African continent, Council members also had constructive exchanges with senior Ethiopian government officials, including Deputy Prime Minister Adem Farah, the Federal Minister of Labour and Skills Development Muferiat Kamil and the State Minister of Labour and Skills Daniel Teressa.
Other key decisions from the Council, which took place from 2 to 4 December, include:
The adoption of the ITUC’s strategic plan for 2026 to Fight for Democracy by defending the ILO fundamental rights and principles, exposing those who undermine democracy and supporting the organising and inclusion of all workers.
A Peace and Common Security action plan as a framework for trade union engagement in conflict prevention, peacebuilding and post-conflict recovery.
A revised Rapid Response Mechanism to further develop the ITUC’s capacity to defend trade unions under attack.
Solidarity with Lee Cheuk-yan
The Council pledged full support to the campaign to free Lee Cheuk-yan, the former trade union leader and lifelong defender of workers’ rights and democracy in Hong Kong, who is currently imprisoned for his role in defending democracy and faces up to 10 years in prison.
“This meeting sends a strong signal of global trade union solidarity. From Sudan to Hong Kong, we are fighting for democracy, for peace and for workers’ rights. The international community must act now to stop the atrocities in Sudan and support a transition to peace led by the Sudanese people.” ITUC General Secretary Luc Triangle
___________________________
Kenyan court upholds trade union rights
11 December, 2025
In a ruling that reinforces constitutional protections for trade union activity, Kenya’s Employment and Labour Relations Court has ordered the immediate reinstatement of 11 workers at Springtech Kenya Limited, a manufacturing firm, who were suspended without pay after refusing to renounce membership of the Amalgamated Union of Kenya Metal Workers (AUKMW), an affiliate of IndustriALL Global Union.
The dispute began in July 2025 when Springtech management, in what the union described as a deliberate attempt to derail an
organising drive, demanded that newly unionised employees resign from being members of the AUKMW. Eleven workers who refused to budge staged a brief shopfloor picket, prompting their arrest by police on charges of violence – allegations later dropped by the
Director of Public Prosecutions for lack of evidence. The employer simultaneously suspended the workers and halted the remittance of union dues collected through the check-off system, effectively disrupting an ongoing conciliation process. The AUKMW sought
and obtained a certificate of urgency that blocked further dismissals.
In a judgment delivered on 8 December, Justice M. Mbaru of the Mombasa court ruled that employees enjoy explicit constitutional protection under Article 41 for joining or participating in lawful trade union activities, whether outside working hours or, with
or without the employer’s consent. Termination of employment on such grounds, the judge held, constitutes an unfair labour practice under sections 46(c) and (d) of the Employment Act.
The court ordered Springtech to grant the union immediate access to the workplace for recruitment until it secures a simple majority of the workforce – the threshold required under Kenyan law for formal recognition – and to resume deducting and remitting dues within 30 days. The 11 suspended workers are to return to work immediately and to receive full back pay from July 15, 2025.
Welcoming the judgment, Rose Omamo, general secretary of the AUKMW and vice president of IndustriALL said:
“This is a timely reminder to employers that the rights to organise and participate in union activities without intimidation and harassment are firmly enshrined in both the constitution and labour laws.”
The ruling, she added, clears the path for the union to achieve the membership level needed for statutory recognition at the
plant.
The case is the latest in a series of labour court victories for AUKMW and other unions that are strengthening organising rights in Kenya’s manufacturing and export-processing zones, where employers are resorting to unfair dismissals and other union busting
tactics to thwart unionization.
__________________________
The WFTU Secretariat held a meeting on December 10th, 2025, and expressed its undivided internationalist solidarity with the just ongoing struggles of the workers all over the globe, and will intensify its tangible support.
These struggles are realized in a framework of global developments that are characterized by the intensification of rivalries, wars, interventions, blockades, and sanctions, and the increasingly turning of economies worldwide into war economies.
The dominant imperialist circles led by the USA, more openly and arrogantly, seek to upgrade their role as global policeman with the support of the EU and their NATO allies. This is happening in Palestine and the Middle East more broadly, and in Latin America with the open attack against Venezuela, the attempt to strangle Cuba, and the support for reactionary regimes in Argentina, Panama, and elsewhere.
At the same time, the big capital and the bourgeoisie governments unabatedly attack the workers’ rights and achievements. The living and working conditions for workers are deteriorating, and their rights and achievements are undermined while restricting democratic and trade union freedoms.
The WFTU Secretariat salutes the many and important struggles that have been developed during the last weeks in an intensified wave of trade union mobilization and strikes, with the WFTU affiliates once again at the forefront. The General Strike in Portugal against the “labour package”, the militant struggles of farmers in Greece, the recent General Stike in Italy against the budget law and the genocide in Palestine, the successful general strike and struggle in Cyprus for full restoring of the Cost-of-Living-Allowance, the mobilization of trade unions in all sector of India against the reform Labour code, the struggle in Indonesia for a new labour law, the demand in Pakistan for the establishment of the Labour Court, the continues mobilizations of the Peruvian workers for democratic rights and against the oppression, and the victories of the women workers in the preparations of school lunches in Chile are just a few examples of the relentless struggles of the working class in all continents.
These struggles confirm that the deeper the crisis and the attack against workers’ rights are, the stronger the militant reaction of the workers and their militant unions that refuse to passively observe their wages, benefits, and rights to be undermined.
Moreover, the WFTU Secretariat discussed several other topics, including the agenda of the 2026 Presidential Council Meeting and the assessment of the important WFTU activities since the last Secretariat Meeting. Through a comradely and constructive discussion, the WFTU Secretariat adopted the main document for the 2026 PCM.
The WFTU Secretariat
______________________________
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