JOHANNESBURG, Gauteng — The current state of ANC and COSATU alliance relations has become the center of intense political debate following a controversial departure by ANC National Chairperson Gwede Mantashe from the federation’s National Congress on Monday. While Mantashe defends his exit as a necessary stand against public ridicule and a defense of alliance traditions, union leaders and internal party critics have condemned the move, threatening to further fracture the tripartite alliance.
The Dispute Over Speaking Order and Alliance Tradition
Addressing the controversy, Mantashe rejected the characterization of his departure as a “walkout,” stating instead that he left to protect his space and his organization from public humiliation.
The core of the dispute centers on the traditional speaking order at the congress. Mantashe argued that the established protocol—dictated by the alliance partners’ founding dates of 1912 for the ANC, 1921 for the SACP, 1985 for COSATU, and 1992 for SANCO—must be respected. He claimed that altering this order was a deliberate attempt to ridicule the ANC and undermine its position as the leader of the tripartite alliance.
“Compliance is not humility; it is allowing yourself to be abused,” Mantashe stated, arguing that breaking tradition for convenience actively fragments the alliance, especially with upcoming elections.
COSATU’s Backlash and Calls for Sanctions
In response to the incident, COSATU President Mike Shingange announced that the union federation will engage the ANC through bilateral, political council, or tripartite alliance meetings. Shingange noted that the incident has the potential to fuel tensions, though he described it as a minor blemish on an otherwise successful congress.
Inside the congress, the reaction was sharply critical. Shingange reported that delegates and affiliates expressed deep disappointment over the incident. Affiliates have reportedly called for the ANC to formally sanction the National Chairperson.
The criticism also extended to former union leadership. Former COSATU Second Deputy President Duncan Luvuno publicly condemned Mantashe, stating the federation will meet with the ANC to express their disappointment and reject what Luvuno described as the “big brother syndrome” that the ANC Chairperson perpetually displays.
Internal ANC Criticism and Mantashe’s Rebuttal
The fallout from the congress was not limited to the union, drawing sharp rebuke from within the ANC’s own ranks. ANC Youth League President Collen Malatji labeled the departure “irresponsible,” arguing that it portrays the ANC as an arrogant organization.
Mantashe dismissed Malachi’s criticism, stating that the Youth League leader is “too young to understand the tradition” of the alliance. Referencing his own experience as a delegate during COSATU’s formation in 1985, Mantashe maintained that the ANC is the undisputed leader of the alliance and warned against allowing allies to change traditional arrangements blindly.
“We must never be blind because there are elections coming and therefore allow everybody to do as they wish to us,” Mantashe said, emphasizing that the organizations will outlast the election cycle.
Navigating New COSATU Leadership
The speaking order dispute coincides with a shift in COSATU’s leadership, following the election of Mike Shingange as president and Zingiswa Losi as general secretary.
When asked about the political implications for the remaining years of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s term, Mantashe stated he has not read anything negative into the new leadership, noting the transformative inclusion of four women and two men in the federation’s top roles. He emphasized that the alliance’s relationship will be determined by the content of their shared program and core principles, such as “one industry, one union, one country, one federation.”
