By Akani Nkuna
Labour 20 has officially been launched in Gqeberha, marking a significant milestone for workers across South Africa, Africa and the Global South.
This historic event signals a renewed commitment to labour rights, economic justice and global worker solidarity, setting the stage for impactful discussions and policy advocacy in the years ahead.
The launch was jointly organised by union federations Cosatu, Fedusa, Nactu and Saftu.
This event laid the groundwork for the L20 Summit that will be held on Tuesday and Wednesday in the city. Critical discussions on workers’ rights and economic policies will take centre stage.
According to the federations. speakers at the launch tackled critical topics, including South Africa’s vision for its G20 presidency and efforts to champion a progressive workers’ agenda.
Discussions also covered the L20’s priorities for 2025, the International Labour Organisation’s role in protecting labour rights within the G20, organised labour’s influence on South Africa’s leadership and Africa’s relevance in G20.
The emphasising that the continent’s development must remain a key global focus.
Highlighting the importance of South Africa’s G20 presidency for Africa, ITUC Africa President Martha Molema said that “the G20 must not be an exclusive club that overlooks entire regions but must champion solutions that account for diverse voices and leaves no one behind”.
Meanwhile, the federations reiterated that the launch affirmed the need for workers’ voices in global economic governance and labour unions that were united in demanding reforms in multilateral institutions, debt justice, fair taxation and enforceable agreements.
This was to ensure that the commitments made during South Africa’s G20 presidency led to meaningful and lasting improvements for workers worldwide.
Since the G20 accounts for 85% of the global economy and 67% of the world’s populations, the federations advised South Africa to advocate for a pro-worker agenda, ensuring Africa’s development remained central while unions pushed for accountability on past commitments to workers’ right and economic inclusion.
INSIDE POLITICS
