Cosatu heads back to congress amid leadership battle

Cosatu President Sdumo Dlamini during a media briefing on March 5, 2015 in Johannesburg, South Africa. Picture: Gallo Images/Business Day/Puxley Makgatho

The Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) is set to reconvene its previously interrupted elective National Congress next week.

Central to this, however, remains the contentious leadership succession debate that triggered the congress’s collapse last month and continues to stir deep divisions among the federation’s affiliates.

At the heart of this turmoil is the question of whether National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu) leader Mike Shingange should ascend to the position of federation president.

His potential election has stirred considerable controversy, stemming from Nehawu’s decision to suspend its former president just days before the scheduled congress.

This action sparked significant backlash within the federation, with affiliates expressing a desire to see Shingange rise to prominence, specifically to take over from the outgoing Cosatu president, Zingiswa Losi, whose term has ended.

In September, the tension reached boiling point as affiliates openly clashed, bringing the federation to a standstill.

Delegates engaged in heated exchanges unprecedented in Cosatu’s history.

The congress’s premature collapse was attributed to Nehawu’s decision to suspend Shingange just prior to the event, raising questions about his eligibility to run for the presidency.

Despite this setback, as deputy president of Cosatu, he retains the right to be elected under the federation’s constitution.

The Cosatu presidency carries considerable historical significance.

Established in 1985 as the successor to the struggle-era South African Congress of Trade Unions, the federation has played a pivotal role in championing labour rights and shaping South Africa’s political landscape, particularly under the ANC.

Support for Shingange is split among the unions. He enjoys backing from the National Union of Mineworkers and several others, while significant opposition stems from his own union, Nehawu, and other affiliates.

Early signs of discord manifested when numerous affiliates chose not to submit their credentials – a move without precedent that effectively halted the proceedings.

By the second day of what should have been a four-day congress at Gallagher Convention Centre, the situation became untenable, forcing the gathering to come to an abrupt stop.

Now, in a bid to address the discord and initiate a fresh dialogue, the venue has been switched to Emperors Palace in Kempton Park, where the congress is slated to take place from 14-17 October.

The stakes are high and many eyes are on this assembly to see if a path forward can be forged amid lingering controversies.

Its outcomes are eagerly awaited by the ANC and the SA Communist Party, because whatever way the federation goes, it will impact both of the parties.

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