DELEGATES attending the 14th National Congress of COSATU on Monday booed, heckled and displayed “hand signals” at the party’s national chairperson, Gwede Mantashe, as he went on stage to deliver the ANC’s message of support.
Delegates are demanding to be addressed by ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa.
As Mantashe went on stage, hundreds of delegates left their chairs, marched to the front of the venue, and started singing loudly, “Asinamali (We have no money)” while chanting “Hamba Gwede, Hamba (Go away, Gwede, Go away)”.
A drawn out stand-off took place at the stage as delegates refused repeated pleas to allow Mantashe to address the national congress.
Mantashe was finally escorted off the stage by ANC national executive (NEC) members Mmamaloko Kubayi and Lindiwe Zulu.
Last night, Secretary General Bheki Ntshalintshali said Mantashe will most probably address the congress on Tuesday after a meeting with union leaders and national office bearers.
The relationship between the ANC and Cosatu is currently at a historic low.
Five months ago, Ramaphosa himself was booed and heckled at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium in Phokeng in the North West.
The president was forced to abandon his Workers’ Day address after Cosatu members heckled him for government’s failure to compensate workers.
Delegates say workers have not received a wage increase for three years, despite the devastating impact the Covid-19 pandemic and, this year, the Russian invasion of Ukraine had on the cost of living, including the rising prices of petrol and food.
The latest economic indicators such as 7.4% CPI, the prime lending rate of 8.25% and the cost of transport and electricity are some of the reasons provided by the workers in rejecting the government’s recent offer.
Cosatu is holding its 14th national congress which is expected to come to a close on Thursday.
The national congress is convened under theme “Build working-class unity for economic liberation towards socialism”.
This is a developing story.
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