Taking COSATU Today Forward, 29 May 2026 #CosatuRedFridays
Norman Mampane
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COSATU TODAY COSATU Call Center Contacts: 010 002 2590 #COSATU participates at the Conference of the Left underway at Boksburg #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
28 May 2026
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Contents
- Workers Parliament: Back to Basics!
- SAMWU condemns Cilliers Brink’s reckless attack on workers and welcomes efforts to correct the wrongs of the DA administration in Tshwane
- South Africa
- COSATU notes with deep disappointment the Reserve Bank's untimely decision to increase the repo rate by 25 basis points
- COSATU applauds law enforcement's massive R1 billion drug seizure at Beitbridge Border Post
- International-Workers’ Solidarity!
- Trade unions demand a voice in Africa’s industrial future
Workers’ Parliament-Back2Basics #ClassWar
SAMWU condemns Cilliers Brink’s reckless attack on workers and welcomes efforts to correct the wrongs of the DA administration in Tshwane
Mpho Tladinyane, SAMWU Gauteng Provincial Secretary, 28 May 2026
The South African Municipal Workers’ Union (SAMWU) has noted with outrage the reckless, misleading and anti-worker statement issued by former Tshwane Mayor and DA Mayoral Candidate, Cilliers Brink, in which he attacks the intention to reinstate workers who were unlawfully dismissed under the DA-led administration in the City of Tshwane.
SAMWU condemns in the strongest possible terms Brink’s irresponsible characterisation of these workers as “criminals”. This statement is not only defamatory and dangerous, but it also exposes the DA’s deep-seated hostility towards workers and organised labour. These workers have not been charged, tried or convicted in any court of law. Brink has no authority to pronounce them guilty or to parade them before the public as criminals merely because they exercised their rights as workers.
It must be placed on record that Brink is not a neutral commentator in this matter. He is the very person who presided over and defended the dismissal of these employees during his tenure as Mayor of Tshwane. His latest statement is therefore nothing but an attempt to justify the unlawful and politically motivated actions taken by the DA administration against municipal workers.
As SAMWU, we commend the new administration in Tshwane for being preoccupied with correcting the wrongs that were committed under the Brink DA administration. The reinstatement of these workers is not an act of lawlessness, as Brink wants the public to believe. It is an important step towards restoring justice, dignity and fairness to employees who were treated as disposable by an administration that had no regard for workers, their families or the principles of fair labour practice.
We are, however, not surprised by Brink’s posture. The DA has consistently shown itself to be hellbent on reversing the gains made by and for workers. Across municipalities where the DA has governed, workers have been met with arrogance, intimidation, victimisation and union-bashing. The DA’s approach to labour relations is rooted in the belief that workers must be silenced, disciplined and discarded whenever they demand what is due to them.
Brink’s threat that, should the DA return to power, it will reverse the reinstatement of these workers must be understood for what it is, a clarion call to workers and their families to reject the DA at the polls. There is no place in our municipalities, our communities or our democracy for a political party that views workers as disposable objects. There is no place for leaders who criminalise workers without trial and use public platforms to attack employees who have already suffered under an unjust administration.
SAMWU further rejects Brink’s attempt to hide behind the language of “rule of law” while ignoring the unlawful conduct of the DA administration itself. The rule of law does not mean that employers can dismiss workers unfairly and then brand them as criminals in the media. The rule of law requires due process, fairness, evidence and respect for workers’ constitutional rights.
The City of Tshwane belongs to its residents and workers, not to the DA and not to Cilliers Brink. Municipal workers are the backbone of service delivery. They are the ones who collect refuse, repair infrastructure, maintain electricity networks, operate public transport, keep water flowing and ensure that communities continue to receive essential services. They deserve respect, not insults. They deserve justice, not political persecution.
SAMWU will continue to defend these workers and all municipal workers against any attempt to undermine their rights, dignity and livelihoods. We call on the City of Tshwane to proceed with the correction of the injustices committed under the DA administration and to ensure that affected workers are reinstated without further political interference.
We further call on workers, their families and communities to take note of Brink’s own words. The DA has openly declared that, if returned to power, it will once again go after workers. Workers must therefore use their collective power, including at the ballot box, to reject any political party that threatens their jobs, dignity and livelihoods.
The DA’s anti-worker posture is not limited to Tshwane. We have already seen its opposition to the PFA in Johannesburg, an agreement aimed at correcting wage disparities among municipal workers. Through its actions and public utterances, the DA has proven itself to be an enemy of the working class and a political home for those who seek to reverse the hard-won gains of workers.
We will not allow the DA, Cilliers Brink or any other political formation to reverse the hard-won gains of workers.
Issued by SAMWU Gauteng Province
South Africa #ClassSolidarity
COSATU notes with deep disappointment the Reserve Bank's untimely decision to increase the repo rate by 25 basis points
Matthew Parks, COSATU Parliamentary Coordinator, 28 May 2026
The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) notes with deep disappointment the South African Reserve Bank’s untimely decision to increase the repo rate by 25 basis points.
Home loans and other debt linked to the repo rate will now become more expensive and difficult to service for millions of workers and their families. It will squeeze workers’ overstretched wages further. It will take money out of an already weak economy.
Workers are battling to cope with massive increases in the cost of living, in particular the doubling of international oil and fuel prices due to the reckless war in the Persian Gulf, the source of 20% of the world’s oil and gas supplies.
Working- and middle-class families have felt the pain with subsequent taxi and bus fare increases as well as above inflation electricity tariff hikes.
Most workers are drowning in debt and borrowing simply to buy food, electricity, transport and service unaffordable debt levels. Those fortunate to have jobs support seven relatives on average.
Many workers spend up to 40% of their already meagre wages on transport.
The cause of the current rise in inflation is solely due to the war in the Middle East and not domestic demand. There is nothing that South Africa can do to manage this geo-political crisis of anarchy. Squeezing already struggling workers and consumers, makes no economic sense.
It is tantamount to punishing the victims for a crisis not of their choice.
The economy has been stagnant at 1% for more than a decade. Initial growth projections of an already weak 1.4% have been slashed by the International Monetary Fund to a depressing 1%, far below the 3% plus needed to tackle our single greatest national crisis, our 43.7% unemployment rate. The repo rate will further suffocate an economy on its knees.
Inflation at 4% remains within the Reserve Bank’s target range. Prior to the war in the Middle East it had been continuously falling. Once the war ends and international oil and gas supplies resume to full capacity, domestic fuel prices and thus inflation will fall.
It is critical that Treasury extend fuel levy relief for the duration of the War and until fuel prices revert to their pre-war levels. This relief has provided valuable comfort, albeit however limited, to commuters and the economy. It has helped contain inflation.
Its extension is now even more critical.
The Reserve Bank must resist further insensitive temptations to raise the repo rate. These would be a devastating blow to workers, consumers, businesses and the economy, when we can least afford it. It must exercise strategic patience, more so as peace negotiations to end the War take place.
The Reserve Bank must show solidarity with workers, the poor and the economy and avoid any further hikes.
Issued by COSATU
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COSATU applauds law enforcement's massive R1 billion drug seizure at Beitbridge Border Post
Matthew Parks, COSATU Parliamentary Coordinator, 28 May 2026
The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) applauds law enforcement’s massive R1 billion drug seizure at Beitbridge Border Post. This is a decisive blow against organised crime syndicates in the Southern African region. It is a welcome boost to the morale of a society that has grown exasperated by South Africa’s unacceptably high rates of crime.
It builds upon the positive decreases in various serious crimes highlighted in the latest crime statistics released last week, including murder.
The success of this interagency cooperation by the Border Management Authority (BMA), Home Affairs, the Hawks and the South African Police Service (SAPS) are testimony to the need to strengthen collaboration within government. The invaluable role played by scanners at border posts were confirmed.
This victory is evidence of the critical role that the state can and must play in society and the dangers of implementing austerity budget cuts that cripple state capacity.
If we are to win the war against crime, in particular, often very sophisticated and well-resourced global syndicates, then we must invest in the capacity of the BMA, Home Affairs, SAPS, the Hawks and the National Prosecuting Authority.
They require scanners at all ports of entry, the appointment of competent management, the removal of corrupt and criminal elements, the filling of frontline vacancies and the hiring of critical skills, and state of the art infrastructure and resources, from working vehicles to sophisticated forensics and biometric technology.
There are no short cuts to winning this existential struggle against crime.
If we are to attract the domestic and international investment necessary to boost economic growth to the 3% plus necessary to tackle our staggering 43.7% unemployment rate, then we must ramp up our fight against crime.
We must equally invest in our law enforcement officers and provide them with a living wage, continuously enhance their skills and training, and provide them with the necessary tools of trade and protection. Our public servants are all too often unfairly vilified.
Today those men and women at Beitbridge have made the nation proud.
Their dedication has saved the lives of countless young people who may otherwise have fallen victim to the scourge of drug abuse.
Issued by COSATU
International-Solidarity
Trade unions demand a voice in Africa’s industrial future
28 May, 2026
Trade unions were among the more than 3,000 delegates who gathered at the Kintele Conference Centre in Brazzaville, Congo, for the African Development Bank Group's (AfDB) annual meetings (25–29 May 2026), where they pressed the bank to include workers in Africa's development planning from the outset, not merely consult them after projects are already complete.
Presidential panel
The annual meetings also gave neighbouring heads of state a platform for bilateral talks. Presidents Denis Sassou N’Guesso, Faustin-Archange Toudera and Brice Oligui Nguema, of the Republic of Congo, Central African Republic and Gabon respectively, used the occasion to advance discussions on economic co-operation, renewable energy and regional integration.
A delegation comprising representatives, from IndustriALL Global Union Sub-Saharan Africa, the International Trade Union Confederation Africa (ITUC-Africa) and the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung Trade Union Competence Centre for Sub-Saharan Africa, called on the AfDB to embed the ILO decent work agenda items like job creation, rights at work, social protection and social dialogue into every project the bank finances.
They also demanded stronger enforcement of the bank’s existing labour safeguards, which already oblige borrowers to comply with ILO core labour standards, protect workers’ rights, maintain occupational health and safety protections and extend those obligations to subcontracted workers. On paper, the framework exists. In practice, unions argue, it is implemented inconsistently.
The delegation also backed formal integration of economic, social and governance (ESG) criteria into lending decisions, a position that aligns with AfDB president Sidi Ould Tah’s own strategy, which includes harnessing Africa’s demographic dividend as one of his four cardinal priorities. With the continent adding roughly 20 million young people to its labour force every year, the unions argued that the decent work agenda is not a distraction from these ambitions but a precondition for them. Africa’s youth bulge needs decent jobs to be created. An industrialization drive that generates precarious employment or suppresses collective bargaining will not create decent work.
Economics of resilience
The AfDB’s chief economist and vice president, Kevin Urama, presented the 2026 African Economic Outlook at the conference. The headline finding that African economies projected to grow at 4.2 per cent in 2026 before rebounding to 4.4 per cent in 2027 told a story of resilience against considerable adversity. At the same time, the broader economic narrative cannot be separated from the African Development Bank’s commitment to supporting decent work principles in member states.
Yet the meetings’ theme, Mobilizing Africa’s development financing at scale in a fragmented world, reflects a sharper external reality: financial resources are tight, official development assistance has declined and supply chains are less predictable. Against this backdrop, the union delegation’s push to embed social standards into the bank’s project pipeline is important. Indeed, driving African Development Bank decent work policies is a vital ingredient of financial resilience.
Unions’ demands on labour standards
One of the unions’ critical engagements was a meeting with Kevin Urama, focused on developing a formal dialogue framework around evidence-based approaches to industrialization. This will provide a mechanism for giving organized labour a voice in how the bank thinks about growth, not just how it implements projects. The importance of African Development Bank decent work initiatives was a central point in these conversations.
The unions were alert to being brought in only at the end of the pipeline. This reflects why African Development Bank decent work must be prioritized earlier in project planning phases.
“We don’t want to be called in through the Independent Review Mechanism of the AfDB when things have gone wrong. We want to be at the table when decisions are being made,”
emphasized Joel Odigie, ITUC-Africa general secretary.
As emphasized, a partnership between African Development Bank and decent work advocates can only strengthen outcomes.
A follow-up meeting is scheduled for July in Abidjan to work through a more substantive engagement framework. The focus will remain on how African Development Bank decent work values can be embedded in ongoing labor dialogues.
Discussions also turned to Mission 300, the joint AfDB and World Bank initiative to connect 300 million Africans to electricity by 2030. Unions questioned whether ambition will be matched by meaningful changes in delivery and raised concerns on privatization and job creation for the youth. Crucially, Mission 300 was framed within the context of African Development Bank decent work goals for job and social outcomes.
A meeting with Francisca Tatchouop Belobe, the African Union commissioner for economic development, trade, tourism, industry and minerals, underscored the strategic importance of beneficiation of critical energy transition minerals and the need for trade unions to engage actively with the African Minerals Development Centre. The green economy’s mineral backbone which includes lithium, cobalt, manganese and graphite is concentrated in Africa and processing those resources locally rather than exporting them raw is one of the most direct routes to creating the quality industrial jobs that young Africans need, argued unions. Equally, African Development Bank decent work priorities support resource beneficiation for local employment.
In parallel civil society meetings the union delegation argued that Just Transition, anchored in the ILO’s Just Transition Guidelines, carries specific obligations: skills retraining, social dialogue, community consultation and equitable distribution of gains from the green economy. For a continent where the median age is under 20, those retraining and skilling provisions are not a safety net for workers being displaced; they are the foundation for a generation entering work for the first time. African Development Bank decent work principles can help ensure this future is equitable and inclusive for all youth.
“The AfDB is Africa’s most powerful development finance catalyst. Decent work must be its compass. This is why we are asking for a formal labour forum,”
said Paule-France Ndessomin, IndustriALL Sub-Saharan Africa regional secretary.
The AfDB was founded in 1964 with 81 member countries and has grown its capital from US$94 billion in 2014 to US$318 billion in 2024.
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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