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Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) in the North West Province on Friday, 14 April 2023, convened a Provincial Shop Steward Council (PSSC) at Vryburg’s Banquet Hall to launch a solidarity programme as resolved by its Provincial Congress.

Various COSATU Affiliate Delegates including the Communication Workers Union (CWU), Democratic Nursing Organisation of South Africa (DENOSA), National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union (NEHAWU), National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), South African Democratic Teachers Union (SADTU), Etc, met in the Dr. Ruth S. Mompati District’s central town to be an audience and participate in the presentation of the federation’s Provincial Programs. Chief amongst the presented programs being the upcoming Provincial May Day Celebrations, scheduled to be held in Vryburg’s Colridge Stadium on the 1st of May 2023.

The African National Congress (ANC) and the South African Communist Party (SACP) delivered Messages of Support, while the Keynote address was delivered by COSATU’s National General Secretary, Solly Phetoe. SACP’s message spoke to the party’s resolved mandate to defend and advance to a radical movement, as well as their clarion call for all to support the demand, to government, for an inquest into Chris Hani’s Murder.

In his Keynote address, COSATU’s General Secretary, Solly Phetoe called for the effective implementation of all Union Pragrams. The General Secretary also used the North West PSSC as a platform to echo COSATU’s support to affiliated union, the South African Municipal Workers Union (SAMWU)’s decision to challenge the constitutionality of the Municipal Systems Amendment Act in the Constitutional Court. “The Municipal Systems Amendment Act of 2022 is fundamentally flawed and simply unconstitutional.” Remarked Solly Phetoe.

COSATU says the original draft of the Bill that had been agreed to by the ANC led Alliance and government was to only apply this limitation of political association to municipal managers and the senior managers reporting directly to them. “Thousands of municipal employees are now receiving letters from their managers warning them that unless they stand down from whichever position they may hold in their political party, they will be dismissed from their jobs. The Federation has raised this matter repeatedly with the Ministry for Cooperative Governance, the ANC, and Parliament. Despite their agreeing that this must be corrected through an Amendment Bill, they have yet to do so.” Remarked the Secretary General, emphasising COSATU’s position.

COSATU affiliates have committed to a minimum of 10% each of its General membership to be back in Vryburg on the 1st of May to Celebrate Workers Day at Colridge Stadium. According to COSATU the will be for the celebration of worker’s small victories, as well as for the handing over over a Memorandum on basic service delivery issue. Nationally this year’s May Day falls on the 38th Anniversary year of COSATU. “On the 1st of May we will travel to Bethlehem to honour our 52 fallen members who perished at Saulspoort Dam in 2003 on their way to celebrating May Day. We will also honour the 50th anniversary of the 1973 Durban strike and COSATU’s 38th birthday.” Announced COSATU on its Website.

-The VIP Team

-COSATU Mediado

-Jus4tos Photophaphy and Graphic Design