Taking COSATU Today Forward, 25 May 2026 #CosatuCEC2026
Norman Mampane
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COSATU TODAY COSATU Call Center Contacts: 010 002 2590 #Cosatu convenes its ordinary CEC this week #WorkerControl #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
25 May 2026
“Build Working Class Unity for Economic Liberation towards Socialism”
Organize at every workplace and demand respect for labour rights Now!
Defend Jobs Now!
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Contents
- Workers Parliament: Back to Basics!
- SAMWU condemns continued union bashing and victimisation of shop stewards at Amatola Water
- National Treasury on Jobs Fund launching 13th Funding Round
- South Africa
- COSATU Gauteng demands accountability following Public Protector findings on delayed Charlotte Maxeke hospital repairs
- Statement on the situation regarding the return of South African Global Sumud Flotilla Activists abducted by the Israeli government
- SACP congratulates Orlando Pirates for completing a treble-winning season
- International-Workers’ Solidarity!
- Lee Cheuk-yan: Critical moment for rights and freedoms in Hong Kong as trial concludes
- The ICJ confirms that ILO Convention No. 87 protects the right to strike
Workers’ Parliament-Back2Basics#ClassWar
SAMWU condemns continued union bashing and victimisation of shop stewards at Amatola Water
Asamkele Ntaka, SAMWU Eastern Cape Provincial Secretary, 25 May 2026
The South African Municipal Workers’ Union (SAMWU) in the Eastern Cape expresses its deep concern and outrage at the continued victimisation, intimidation and systematic targeting of SAMWU shop stewards by the management of Amatola Water Board.
Since 26 March 2025, workers at Amatola Water Board have effectively been left without elected union representation after all ten SAMWU shop stewards were suspended by the employer on allegations linked to an alleged illegal strike action. This unprecedented action immediately raised serious concerns about the employer’s intentions towards organised labour, workplace democracy and collective bargaining within the institution.
Compounding this situation, the entity has failed to conclude plant-level negotiations for the 2024/25 and 2025/26 financial years, as directed by the Amanzi Bargaining Council. This failure has deprived workers of meaningful engagement on matters affecting their wages, conditions of service and workplace rights.
The matter relating to the alleged illegal strike was subsequently brought before the Labour Court in October 2025, wherein the Court ruled in favour of the affected employees. Despite this outcome, Amatola Water management disregarded both the spirit and implications of the Court’s ruling and proceeded to convert the precautionary suspensions into punitive suspensions without pay. This decision subjected workers and their families to severe financial and emotional hardship.
In March 2026, the disciplinary enquiry against the ten shop stewards was concluded. Five shop stewards, including the SAMWU Regional Chairperson and other Local Office Bearers, were dismissed, while the remaining five were found not guilty. SAMWU views these dismissals as a calculated and deliberate attempt to weaken, destabilise and ultimately destroy the union’s organisational presence within Amatola Water, particularly by targeting its elected leadership structures.
As SAMWU, we exercised our organisational and legal rights by noting appeals against the dismissals of the five affected shop stewards. However, while the union was still studying the outcomes and preparing the appeal process, Amatola Water management, through its Legal Advisory division, took the extraordinary and highly irregular step of lodging what it termed a “cross-appeal” against the findings relating to the five shop stewards who were not dismissed.
This so-called “cross-appeal” raises serious legal, procedural and labour relations concerns. In ordinary labour relations practice, where an employer is dissatisfied with the outcome of a disciplinary process conducted by its own appointed chairperson, such an employer would, where legally permissible and properly justified, pursue a review process through the appropriate legal forums. The attempt to appeal against the findings of its own disciplinary chairperson exposes an alarming determination by Amatola Water management to ensure that all SAMWU shop stewards are dismissed, regardless of the merits of the case.
SAMWU views this conduct for what it is, a deliberate campaign of union bashing, intimidation and de-unionisation. It is deeply troubling that an institution entrusted with public service delivery would dedicate time, energy and public resources towards attacking worker representation instead of fostering labour peace, institutional stability and constructive engagement with organised labour. For us, this is an attempt by management to rule through fear.
The current situation has created a dangerous vacuum in the workplace. Workers at Amatola Water Board presently have no effective elected representation in workplace grievances, wage negotiations, recruitment processes, disciplinary matters and other collective bargaining forums where organised labour participation is both necessary and protected by labour legislation.
The consequences of these actions have been devastating for employees. Workers report feeling demoralised, intimidated and abandoned in the workplace. This climate of fear and uncertainty inevitably affects morale, productivity and, ultimately, the quality of service delivery to the people of the Eastern Cape.
SAMWU wishes to make it unequivocally clear that we will not fold our arms while worker representation is being systematically destroyed at Amatola Water. We will continue to defend the rights, dignity and livelihoods of our members through all available legal, organisational and constitutional avenues.
We call upon the Board of Amatola Water, the Department of Water and Sanitation, the Amanzi Bargaining Council, organised labour formations and all progressive forces to condemn these actions and urgently intervene before labour relations at Amatola Water deteriorate even further.
SAMWU further reiterates that workers have a constitutional right to freedom of association, collective bargaining and union representation without fear of victimisation, intimidation or retaliation. Any attempt to undermine these rights must be rejected with the contempt it deserves.
SAMWU Eastern Cape will continue to stand with the affected shop stewards, their families and all workers at Amatola Water Board.
An injury to one remains an injury to all.
Issued by SAMWU Eastern Cape Province
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National Treasury on Jobs Fund launching 13th Funding Round
22 May 2026
Jobs fund opens 13th Funding Round, catalysing demand-led growth in the green and informal economy
As
South Africa continues to grapple with persistently high unemployment and widening inequality, the National Treasury’s Jobs Fund has officially opened its 13th Funding Round, calling for bold, innovative solutions that can unlock scalable, sustainable employment.
Under the theme 'Catalysing Demand-Led Growth in the Green and Informal Economy', the new funding round will be open from 18 May to 30 June 2026.
The Fund seeks to partner with experienced intermediaries across the private, public, and non-profit sectors to accelerate job creation in high-potential areas of the economy, with a strong focus on the green and informal sectors. South Africa’s labour market
remains under significant strain. As of Q1 2026, the Quarterly Labour Force Survey showed the unemployment rate stood at 32.7%. Youth and women continue to face the highest barriers to entry, reinforcing the urgent need for targeted, scalable interventions
that can absorb labour and stimulate inclusive growth.
The Jobs Fund’s 13th Funding Round is a catalytic response to these challenges. By leveraging the match-funding model, the Fund aims to crowd in private and non-profit sector investment, de-risk innovation, and support solutions that can deliver measurable
employment outcomes at scale. Since its inception in 2011, the Jobs Fund has committed R7.7 billion in public funding, leveraging an additional R15.7 billion in matched contributions from partners. This collaborative approach has supported over 180 projects
across 12 funding rounds, resulting in more than 343,000 jobs and internships created, and over 418,000 work-seekers and entrepreneurs trained. Notably, 66% of programme participants have been youth and 58% women, with 98% from previously disadvantaged backgrounds.
The 13th Funding Round builds on this track record by targeting sectors with strong labour absorption potential and long-term sustainability. In particular, the green economy presents a significant opportunity to drive job creation while advancing South Africa’s
transition to a more sustainable, low-carbon future. At the same time, the informal economy, which employs over 5.7 million people, remains underdeveloped relative to other emerging markets, highlighting the need for innovative approaches to unlock its full
potential. Despite these opportunities, both sectors face structural barriers, including limited access to finance, skills shortages, regulatory constraints, and market access challenges.
The Jobs Fund is therefore seeking proposals that directly address these constraints through innovative, scalable, and implementable solutions. “The scale of South Africa’s unemployment challenge requires a fundamentally different approach, one that moves beyond
traditional interventions and actively catalyses new markets, new industries, and new ways of working. Through the 13th Funding Round, we are looking to partner with organisations that are responding to today’s employment challenges and are actively shaping
the future of work in South Africa. This is about unlocking investment, enabling innovation, and delivering sustainable impact at scale,” said Najwah AllieEdries, Head of the Jobs Fund.
Applications for the 13th Funding Round are open to sector intermediaries with a proven track record of implementation and the ability to deliver measurable results within a three-year period. All proposals must demonstrate innovation, financial sustainability,
and a clear pathway to job creation, with a requirement for matched funding to ensure shared commitment and impact. The minimum grant to be allocated for successful applicants is R5 million. The funding round will operate on a competitive basis, with only
the most impactful and feasible proposals selected for support. While there is a strong focus on the green and informal economies, the Jobs Fund remains open to high-quality proposals from other sectors that demonstrate significant job creation potential.
Applications close on 30 June 2026 at 15h00. For more information on the application process and eligibility criteria, or to submit a proposal, applicants are encouraged to visit the Jobs Fund website or contact jobs...@treasury.gov.za.
As South Africa looks to accelerate economic recovery and build a more inclusive future, the 13th Funding Round represents a critical opportunity to harness innovation, mobilise investment, and create meaningful employment at scale. END About the Jobs Fund
The Jobs Fund was established by the National Treasury in June 2011 to support innovative initiatives and approaches to sustainable job creation. It is administered through the Government Technical Advisory Centre (GTAC).
The R9 billion fund operates on challenge fund principles, with all allocations made on a competitive and transparent basis. The Jobs Fund is not a mass employment programme, nor does it seek to address the long-term structural causes of unemployment in isolation.
Rather, it provides a targeted programme of support for effective labour market interventions that result in sustainable employment creation.
Media Enquiries:
Jobs Fund Communications
E-mail: jobs...@treasury.gov.za
Issued by National Treasury
South Africa #ClassSolidarity
COSATU Gauteng demands accountability following Public Protector findings on delayed Charlotte Maxeke hospital repairs
Louisah Moepeng Modikwe, COSATU Gauteng Provincial Secretary, 22 May 2026
The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) Gauteng expresses deep concern and outrage following the findings by the Public Protector that the Gauteng Departments of Health and Infrastructure Development unduly delayed repairs to Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital after the devastating fire of April 2021.
The findings confirm what workers, patients, organised labour and communities have long raised – that inefficiency, poor coordination, and lack of urgency within government institutions continue to undermine public healthcare and place the lives of working-class communities at risk.
Charlotte Maxeke Hospital is not just another healthcare facility; it is a critical referral hospital serving thousands of working-class families across Gauteng and neighbouring provinces.
The prolonged delays in restoring the institution have had devastating consequences, including overcrowding at neighbouring hospitals, delayed medical treatment, pressure on healthcare workers, and disruptions in specialist services.
COSATU Gauteng is particularly concerned about the impact this crisis has had on frontline healthcare workers who have had to operate under immense strain, while patients continue to suffer the consequences of poor planning and governance. Public healthcare workers have carried an unfair burden while government departments failed to act with the urgency required.
The federation believes that public institutions entrusted with safeguarding healthcare infrastructure must be held accountable when failures of governance compromise service delivery.
Delays of this magnitude in restoring such a critical public asset are unacceptable, especially in a province with the economic capacity of Gauteng.
COSATU Gauteng therefore calls for full accountability for all officials responsible for the delays identified by the Public Protector, an urgent and transparent turnaround plan to complete outstanding repairs and ensure full operational functionality at Charlotte Maxeke Hospital, improved coordination between government departments responsible for public infrastructure and healthcare services, and protection of workers and patients from further disruptions to healthcare services.
The working class cannot continue paying the price for administrative failures and poor governance. Public healthcare must be strengthened, adequately funded, and efficiently managed to ensure dignity and quality healthcare for all.
COSATU Gauteng will continue to stand with healthcare workers and communities in demanding a functional, accountable and people-centred public health system, COSATU will seek audience with the newly appointed MEC of Health and the Premier to resolve on the way forward.
Issued by COSATU Gauteng
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Statement
on the situation regarding the return of South African Global Sumud Flotilla Activists abducted by the Israeli government
21 May 2026
The Department of International Relations and Cooperation confirms the safe arrival of the Flotilla activists in Istanbul, Türkiye. The South African Ambassador to the Republic of Türkiye, Her Excellency Letsatsi-Duba ensured seamless coordination of their arrival and departure to South Africa.
Minister Lamola expressed the government’s profound gratitude to all stakeholders who contributed to this successful outcome through their cooperation and support.
The South African Government’s role has been one of diplomatic facilitation and engagement with all relevant parties.
The delegation is scheduled to arrive on Saturday, 23 May 2026 at 10:30, at O.R. Tambo International Airport.
South Africa condemns the Israeli government’s humiliating and inhumane treatment of unarmed human rights activists whose human dignity was infringed upon. South Africa calls for a decisive response by the international community as Israel’s actions carried out with impunity, demonstrate its lack of respect for international law and all United Nations resolutions, as well as the rulings of the International Court of Justice. South Africa calls on the global community to amplify efforts aimed at reviving a political process, leading to the establishment of a viable Palestinian state.
ISSUED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS AND COOPERATION
OR Tambo Building
460 Soutpansberg Road
Rietondale
Pretoria
0084
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SACP congratulates Orlando Pirates for completing a treble-winning season
Mbulelo Mandlana, SACP Head of Media, Communications and Information, 23 May 2026
The South African Communist Party (SACP) congratulates Orlando Pirates on its treble-winning 2025-2026 season.
Having captured the Top 8 Cup an unprecedented four consecutive times, the League Cup trophy, as well as the Premiership title means that Orlando Pirates have won three historic domestic trebles in the Premier Soccer League era.
Winning the Premiership Title, in particular, means that Orlando Pirates will be one of four South African clubs to represent the country in continental tournaments in the coming season. The SACP calls upon all South Africans to support all the clubs that will be representing the country in both the Caf Champions League and the Caf Confederation Cup.
The SACP reiterates its call for the deepening of sports development in the country. There must be more support for women’ sports, in particular, with more focus on townships and rural areas where apartheid spatial development was most felt.
ISSUED BY THE SOUTH AFRICAN COMMUNIST PARTY,
FOUNDED IN 1921 AS THE COMMUNIST PARTY OF SOUTH AFRICA.
Media, Communications & Information Department | MCID
International-Solidarity
Lee Cheuk-yan: Critical moment for rights and freedoms in Hong Kong as trial concludes
23 May 2026
The trial of veteran Hong Kong trade unionist and democracy advocate Lee Cheuk-yan has concluded, with a verdict expected in late July. Lawrence
The case, under the National Security Law, has become a major test of freedom of expression, trade union rights and democratic freedoms in Hong Kong. Lee Cheuk-yan is on trial alongside human rights lawyer Chow Hang-tung and the disbanded Hong Kong Alliance in Support of the Patriotic Democratic Movement in China (HK Alliance).
During the final hearing, prosecutors repeated their argument that the HK Alliance’s call to “end one-party rule” was equivalent to a demand for the overthrow of the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party, and constituted incitement to subvert the state and undermine the constitutional order of the People’s Republic of China.
Through his lawyer, Lee Cheuk-yan explained that the slogan referred to democratic political reform, not a violent overthrow. He asked the court to protect the right to political expression and argued that the prosecution had not provided any evidence that the HK Alliance had sought to incite revolt.
Chow Hang-tung warned that a guilty verdict would undermine political freedoms in Hong Kong, declaring: “What is on trial is actually the law itself.”
ITUC General Secretary Luc Triangle said: “The conclusion of this trial is another stark reminder of the shrinking space for trade union rights and civil liberties in Hong Kong. Lee Cheuk-yan has spent years in prison for peaceful activism and democratic advocacy. Trade unionists and human rights defenders must not be prosecuted for exercising fundamental democratic freedoms.
“The global trade union movement reiterates its call to free Lee Cheuk-yan, Chow Hang-tung and all those detained for peacefully exercising their rights.”
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The ICJ confirms that ILO Convention No. 87 protects the right to strike
by WFTU HQ, 22 May 2026
The advisory opinion of the 14‑judge panel of the ICJ confirms, by ten votes to four, that ILO Convention No. 87 protects the right to strike. The ICJ advisory opinion reaffirms the WFTU position that without the right to strike, there can be no effective implementation of freedom of association, the right to organise, and the right of workers’ organisations to organise their administration and activities and to formulate their programmes.
The World Federation of Trade Unions, whose role was decisive in the creation of Convention No. 87 in 1948, condemned from the very first moment the attack on the right to strike and participated actively in the process, submitting a written statement to the International Court of Justice and taking part in the advisory proceedings through Lawyer Augusto Praca, a member of the WFTU Democratic and Trade Union Rights Committee.
The advisory opinion should once and for all put an end to the dispute over whether Convention No. 87 protects the right to strike. However, it is clear that the existence of a class‑oriented and militant trade union movement is the essential, decisive, and irreplaceable factor to ensure that the right to strike, as well as conventions, collective bargaining, labor laws, and workers’ achievements, are not merely empty words on paper but are implemented in practice. The WFTU reiterates its call for struggle in every country, sector, and workplace to safeguard the sacred right to strike in practice.
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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