COSATU president Zingiswa Losi has called on members of the country’s largest trade union federation to support the ANC ahead of the November 1 local government elections.
The federation’s president was delivering the opening address of Cosatu’s four-day central committee meeting, which kicked off on Monday morning.
”Let us all go out and mobilise our families to vote in their numbers and ensure that the ANC will be returned to office on November 1,” said Losi.
Losi, who is also a member of the ANC national executive committee (NEC), said Cosatu members must watch municipalities and force them to deliver services and fight corruption pay workers on time.
The federation’s call comes as one of its biggest affiliates, the SA Democratic Teachers’ Union (Sadtu), resolved to support the ANC in the municipal polls.
”As Sadtu is an affiliate of Cosatu, which is part of the tripartite alliance, the NEC reiterated the union’s commitment to offer practical support to the ANC by campaigning in defence and deepening democracy as we move towards the local government elections,” the union announced.
At the central committee meeting, Sadtu will make several proposals, including making Covid-19 vaccines mandatory.
In a statement on local government elections, SADTU said its NEC further committed defend of the National Democratic Revolution because workers have a right to vote and defend their gains.
“Our reality is that, under the ANC government, we have seen real and tangible change in the lives of our people. A significant number of South Africans have received access to housing, electricity, water, roads infrastructure, healthcare and the list goes on. We cannot deny the fact that progress has been made and this is despite some obstacles that we have faced collectively like the 2008/9 economic melt-down and of late the devastating COVID pandemic,’’ the NEC of SADTU noted.
- Own Correspondent
