Cosatu Now Supports Mandatory Vaccination While Other Unions Are Still Divided

LABOUR federation Cosatu, a key ally of the governing ANC, has changed its mind and says it now supports mandatory Covid-19 vaccination as suggested by President Cyril Ramaphosa.

The plan by government and some employers to make Covid-19 vaccination at work mandatory has already pitted business against labour movements.

Previously, the labour federation was against mandatory COVID-19 vaccination.

Cosatu spokesperson Sizwe Pamla said workers in the health sector had paid with their lives, while those in the service sector have seen mass job losses, as some hotels have been forced to shut.

“Vaccination is not the worst option right now as things stand – having people lose their right to earn a living is the worst option,” he said.

Cosatu’s position is not shared by some of the other unions, including the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), which says it will fight tooth and nail to protect its members from the