Taking COSATU Today Forward, 26 June 2026
Norman Mampane
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COSATU TODAY COSATU Call Center Contacts: 010 002 2590 #Cosatu wishes #NEHAWU 13th National Congress successful deliberations at Boksburg, starting today… #WorkerControl #CosatuNationalActionAgainstHighCostofLiving #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
26 June 2026
“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!
- 2026 National Employment Equity Workshops Schedule
- Measuring the Impact of the 2025 National Minimum Wage Increase: A Technical Report for The National Minimum Wage Commission
- Media Advisory-Media Accreditation: NUM Central Committee Meeting (29 June – 2 July 2026)
- South Africa
- COSATU wishes NEHAWU a successful 13th National Congress
- COSATU notes Constitutional Court ruling on the Copyright Amendment Bill and Performers' Protection Bills
- COSATU welcomes Parliament's support on the Tobacco and Electronic Delivery Systems Control Bill
- International-Workers’ Solidarity!
- South African autoworkers strike over wages at BAIC plant
Workers’ Parliament-Back2Basics#ClassWar
2026
National Employment Equity Workshops Schedule
https://www.labour.gov.za/.../2026%20National...
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Measuring the Impact of the 2025 National Minimum Wage Increase: A Technical Report for The National Minimum Wage Commission
https://www.labour.gov.za/.../Measuring%20the%20Impacts...
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Media
Advisory-Media Accreditation: NUM Central Committee Meeting (29 June – 2 July 2026)
Livhuwani Mammburu, NUM National Spokesperson, 23 June 2026
The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) will convene its Central Committee (CC) meeting from 29 June to 2 July 2026 at the Birchwood Hotel & OR Tambo Conference Centre in Boksburg.
This year’s Central Committee is organized under the theme: “Consolidate Worker Control To Build A Road Map To Socialism.”
Key Speakers & Guests:
The event will feature addresses from high-profile leaders and key industry regulators, including:
• His Excellency, President Cyril Ramaphosa
• Dr. Kgosientsho Ramokgopa – Minister of Electricity and Energy
• Gwede Mantashe – Minister of Minerals and Petroleum Resources
• Nomakhosazana Meth – Minister of Employment and Labour
• Sihle Zikalala – Deputy Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure
Fraternal Messages of Support
Leadership from the following alliance partners and international labour organizations are also scheduled to deliver messages of support:
• Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) President, Zingiswa Losi
• African National Congress (ANC) Secretary General ,Fikile Mbalula
• South African Communist Party (SACP) General Secretary, Solly Mapaila
• South African National Civic Organisation (SANCO)
• World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU)
• IndustrALL Global Union
• Building and Wood Workers' International (BWI)
Accreditation Process
Members of the media are urged to apply for accreditation timeously. Please note that the NUM will not be able to accommodate last-minute or late accreditation requests due to security protocols.
To apply, please email your details (Full Name, Media House, Designation, and Contact Number) to the following officials:
• Livhuwani Mammburu (NUM National Spokesperson)
◦ Cell: 083 809 3257
◦ Email: lmam...@num.org.za, mamm...@gmail.com,
• Luphert Chilwane (NUM Media Officer)
◦ Cell: 083 809 3255
◦ Email: lchi...@num.org.za
South Africa #ClassSolidarity
COSATU wishes NEHAWU a successful 13th National Congress
Zanele Sabela, COSATU Spokesperson, 26 June 2026
The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) wishes its militant Affiliate, the National Education, Health and Allied Workers Union (NEHAWU) a successful 13th National Congress.
NEHAWU is set to hold its Congress from today to 29 June at the Birchwood Hotel & Conference Centre in Boksburg. More than 750 delegates will gather under the revolutionary theme, “Advance Workplace Organisation to Defend Collective Bargaining, Heighten Class Consciousness and Advance Internationalism.”
Messages of support are anticipated from alliance partners: the African National Congress, South African Communist Party, as well as the World Federation of Trade Unions and Trade Union International Public Service & Allied.
The Congress will assess the implementation of the resolutions made at the previous meeting and set a direction for the next five years. The 13th Congress takes place at a tumultuous time of dangerously high unemployment, stagnant economic growth, ingrained poverty and inequality.
South Africa is also in the grips of unceasing anti-migrant protests. As one of the biggest unions organising the public service, NEHAWU has consistently cautioned government against of its obsession with austerity and its insistence on cutting the public service to the bone. The consequences the trade union has been warning about are now clear for all to see as the departments responsible for implementing the country’s migration policies are grossly understaffed. Home Affairs is operating at 40% of its capacity, while the Border Management Authority only has 25% of the staff it requires, and the shortage of police personnel is well-known.
Addressing uneven development within the region and on the continent will likely be deliberated on as part of Advancing Internationalism. The bread-and-butter issues affecting workers including the escalating cost of living, defending and enhancing collective bargaining will feature prominently, as well as ensuring the effective absorption of Community Health Workers into the Department of Health following NEHAWU’s landmark legal victory. The full implementation of the National Health Insurance is a course close to NEHAWU’s heart.
The Federation wishes its mighty Affiliate, NEHAWU, rich deliberations, progressive resolutions and a successful 13th National Congress. COSATU pledges its unyielding support and is heartened by the consistent support it receives from NEHAWU.
Issued by COSATU
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COSATU notes Constitutional Court ruling on the Copyright Amendment Bill and Performers' Protection Bills
Matthew Parks, COSATU Parliamentary Coordinator, 26 June 2026
The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) notes the Constitutional Court’s ruling affirming the constitutionality of the Copyright Amendment and Performers’ Protection Bills. President Cyril Ramaphosa had correctly referred the Bills to the Constitutional Court for affirmation. The ruling provides welcome certainty on the Bills’ constitutionality, some of the most contested in South Africa’s 32 years of democracy.
Whilst the Federation appreciated the President’s need to seek constitutional surety, we remain aggrieved that these Bills have been in the pipeline for more than a decade and subjected to numerous delays. We hope that this judgement affirming the Bills’ constitutionality, in particular the principles of fair use for materials, will provide a clear path for the Bills coming into law.
We are concerned that the Court struck down clauses providing specific exemptions for materials for educational purposes as these would help ensure that learners and students are able to access educational materials which are all too often inaccessible or unaffordable. We, however, believe that the clauses on fair use may achieve the same purpose and enable learners and students fair access to educational materials.
The Court had correctly earlier ruled in favour of similar access for persons with disabilities, our most vulnerable and marginalised section of society.
The Performers Protection Bill will elevate and affirm the rights of actors and performers who have been subjected to horrific abuse, exploitation and insecurity. This is a powerful boost for the tireless efforts of COSATU and the trade unions organising actors, performers and musicians; the South African Guild of Actors (SAGA) and the Trade Union of Musicians of South Africa (TUMSA) to affirm and protect these vulnerable workers’ inalienable rights.
The Bills have been extensively debated, amended and enriched over the past 10 years by the 5th and 6th Parliaments, incorporating numerous amendments to address the concerns of stakeholders and ensure they fulfil the Constitution’s progressive objectives and in line with international best practice.
COSATU will be seeking urgent engagements with and clarification from the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition on the way forward, including with regards to any further legislative amendments that may be necessary, as well as Presidential assent, promulgation and regulations.
We appreciate that copyright legislation is incredibly complex and highly contested and that there are various international treaty obligations that must simultaneously be observed.
It is important that these be balanced with the developmental, health and education needs of ordinary South Africans, in particular learners, students and persons with disabilities.
Issued by COSATU
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COSATU welcomes Parliament's support on the Tobacco and Electronic Delivery Systems Control Bill
Matthew Parks, COSATU Parliamentary Coordinator, 25 June 2026
The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) welcomes Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Health’s vote in support of the desirability of the Tobacco and Electronic Delivery Systems Control Bill. The Federation welcomes this long overdue Bill as a critical tool in the campaign to reduce smoking and the exposure of non-smokers and young people to smoking.
COSATU has engaged extensively on this progressive Bill at Nedlac and is pleased Parliament will now commence engagements on it.
Smoking is the leading cause of lung cancer and a major contributor to the spread of tuberculosis in South Africa with an estimated 30 000 deaths and resultant costs to healthcare and the economy of more than R1 billion annually.
The Bill provides many progressive provisions including strengthening restrictions on smoking at work, in public places and private property to protect non-smokers, workers and children from secondhand smoke. Clauses restricting advertising and the display of tobacco products and their illegal sale to minors will be important boosts to discouraging youth and other persons from smoking. As will the introduction of plain packaging and graphic health warnings on tobacco and related products.
South Africa has made major strides since 1994 under the African National Congress led government reducing the number of smokers, in particular young people. The tightening of legislation has been key to this. This is now under severe threat due to the explosion of the illicit trade in cigarettes, which retail on average at 25% of the price of legally sold products and is estimated to now occupy 70% of the market. This threatens to collapse the legal industry and its jobs plus the sin tax regime that has played a key role in discouraging young people from smoking. Over R30 billion in tax revenue is estimated to be lost annually.
Efforts to tackle illicit trade in tobacco have been painfully inadequate at best. It is beyond disappointing that the Department of Health failed to insert provisions in this long-awaited Bill to further empower the state, in particular the South African Revenue Service (SARS) and law enforcement to tackle this criminal pandemic by requiring the tracking and tracing of tobacco and related products. COSATU urges Parliament to add bold provisions to ensure that the state is not only empowered but compelled to tackle these highly sophisticated and dangerous criminal syndicates.
Strengthening the Bill is critical, as is ensuring that officials of SARS, the South African Police Service, Hawks and State Security are trained and equipped to win this war. Parliament’s Finance, Health, Police and Intelligence Committees are urged to hold regular oversight hearings with these key state organs on their efforts to crack down on this illicit trade.
This is an industry with deep pockets and one that has not been shy to purchase dodgy politicians. This is not a war for the faint-hearted or one that can be won through feelings.
It requires a well-resourced and determined state.
Issued by COSATU
International-Solidarity
South African autoworkers strike over wages at BAIC plant
25 June, 2026
Workers at Beijing Automotive International Company (BAIC)'s assembly plant outside Gqeberha Port Elizabeth, South Africa,
are on strike after the company cut hourly wages by more than half following a two-month shutdown, in breach of national industry agreements. Members of IndustriALL affiliate, the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA) have been off the job
for more than ten days.
Workers were originally employed at Skill Level 1 of the National Bargaining Forum, the industry’s collective bargaining platform, entitling them to R121 (US$7.30) an hour. In June 2025, BAIC laid off workers, citing a plant refurbishment. When they returned
two months later, their hourly rate had been cut to R48 (US$2.90).
Specialized artisans like spray painters now earn R84 (US$5.07) an hour and CO2 welders R48 (US$2.90), against a sectoral entry rate of R163.24 (US$9.85) and a qualified rate of R180.53 (US$10.90).
NUMSA is demanding both rates be restored, alongside back-pay and allowances for workers who have acted as team leaders, in some cases for over six months, without formal appointment.
BAIC must respect industry wage agreements
Underlying the wage dispute are NUMSA’s demands that BAIC align with the conditions observed by every other original equipment manufacturer (OEM) operating in South Africa. The union wants weekly pay moved from Friday to Wednesday, so that workers are not left
stranded over long weekends and public holidays, contract workers employed for more than three months be made permanent, and graduates of the government’s Youth Employment Service learnership scheme be absorbed into permanent jobs once their training ends.
“BAIC must fall in line with every other OEM. No exceptions, no shortcuts on benefits,” said Mziyanda Twani, NUMSA’s Eastern Cape regional secretary.
Paule-France Ndessomin, IndustriALL’s regional secretary for Sub-Saharan Africa, added: “Industry bargaining is a pillar of labour relations in South Africa. BAIC must not knock it down through low wages.”
Flagship fails to meet expectations
In 2016, the Beijing-based group struck a joint venture with the state-owned Industrial Development Corporation (IDC), taking a 65 per cent stake against the IDC’s 35 per cent, to build an R12.6 billion (US$764 million) assembly plant in the Coega zone outside
Gqeberha.
The plant was meant to produce up to 100,000 vehicles a year, create 10,000 jobs, and anchor BAIC’s ambitions across Sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East and beyond.
Sales volumes have remained low. BAIC has since pinned its hopes on the X55 SUV and, more recently, the B30, while signalling plans to expand the Coega facility despite American tariff pressures on global trade.
Chinese cars, led by Great Wall Motors’ Haval brand and Chery, have become a fixture on South African roads. In the first quarter of 2026, combined sales of Chinese-built vehicles were 16094, with the brands now ranking among the country’s top three best-sellers.
Their advance has been built on competitive pricing and improving specification at a time when high interest rates and weak real-wage growth have squeezed South African consumers’ budgets.
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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