The leadership of the African National Congress (ANC) met with its alliance partner, the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu), in a bilateral meeting at Cosatu House on Tuesday, with both parties affirming their commitment to the tripartite alliance and a united front for the upcoming local government elections.
The meeting, described by spokespersons as a chance to “reflect on the state of the alliance,” covered a wide agenda, including the state of public services, the economy, unemployment, and strategies for the 2026 elections.
Strengthening the Alliance and Election Pact
A central topic was the future of the political alliance amidst the upcoming polls. A Cosatu spokesperson firmly dismissed any notion of the labour federation going it alone.
“Our bottom line is we want to unite the alliance,” the Cosatu spokesperson said. “We want to continue our relationship with the ANC… Whatever approach we have for the local election next year, we need to make sure we’re all on the same page. We can’t afford to be divided.”
The spokesperson confirmed that further discussions would be held with the South African Communist Party (SACP) to ensure the entire alliance contests the elections together and “emerges victoriously.”
In response, an ANC spokesperson welcomed the engagement, stating the party was “looking forward to the deliberations” and highlighting the presentation of the ANC’s recently adopted economic action plan for feedback from the federation.
Firm Defence of BEE and Transformation Laws
The meeting also provided a platform for a robust defence of Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) against the Democratic Alliance’s (DA) proposal to scrap it.
The ANC spokesperson was unequivocal, stating, “There will not be a day in South Africa where BEE is scrapped.” He characterized the DA’s vision as one that “must be challenged by all democracy-loving people and patriots,” while leaving the door open for potential amendments that do not deviate from the policy’s substance.
Echoing this, the Cosatu spokesperson stated, “We would never agree to it,” describing transformation legislation as a necessary response to “three and a half centuries of discrimination.” He argued that the principles of B-BBEE remain critical for creating an inclusive economy and addressing the legacy of apartheid.
Addressing Worker Issues and the Economy
On worker-specific concerns, the Cosatu spokesperson confirmed that long-standing issues like the regulation of labour brokers and the enforcement of labour laws were consistently raised with the government. He emphasized the need to strengthen worker protections and dramatically increase the number of labour inspectors.
The crisis of unemployment, with over 12 million people jobless, was a major point of concern for both parties. The Cosatu spokesperson stressed the difficulty of enforcing labour rights in an economy with such high joblessness and called for an expansion of public employment programs.
The ANC spokesperson pointed to the party’s economic action plan, which was tabled at the meeting, as an “accelerated service delivery” initiative aimed at addressing unemployment in the short term.
A Relationship of “Ups and Downs”
When questioned on whether the ANC was a genuine listening partner given the country’s high levels of inequality and unemployment, the Cosatu spokesperson acknowledged frustrations but pointed to concrete achievements born from the alliance.
“At times we’d love them to listen a little bit better, but we can point to many positive things,” he said, listing the national minimum wage, the COVID-19 TERS payments, the Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant, and recent pension reforms as victories achieved through engagement with the ANC-led government.
“The relationship with the ANC… remains as valid today as it did in 1994,” he concluded.
The meeting was ongoing, with a joint statement expected upon its conclusion.