WATCH| Mantashe walks out of Cosatu congress over order of speakers

By Johnathan Paoli

ANC national chairperson Gwede Mantashe walked out of Cosatu’s reconvened 15th National Congress on Monday after objecting to the order in which alliance partners were scheduled to deliver messages of support.

Mantashe, who was leading the ANC delegation at the congress, which runs until Wednesday, insisted that the ANC should speak last, after the South African Communist Party (SACP) and the South African National Civic Organisation (Sanco).

Cosatu had scheduled the ANC to speak before the SACP and Sanco.

Mantashe objected to the programme, and efforts by ANC Veterans League president Snuki Zikalala and Cosatu general secretary Solly Phetoe to persuade him to address delegates failed.

Speaking to journalists outside the Peermont Metcourt convention centre at Emperor’s Palace in Ekurhuleni, Mantashe said the order of speakers reflected the history of the alliance and should not be changed for convenience.

“You can’t wake up one day and change