Cosatu caught between ANC and SACP

Cosatu is unlikely to pick a side in the dispute between the ANC and the SACP at its congress ahead of the local government elections.

This is as the trade union federation wants to avoid a conflict that would necessitate a vote when affiliates gather to elect new leaders next month.

The federation has found itself in the middle of a dispute between its tripartite alliance partners, who for the first time will be contesting each other in the elections on a broad scale.

This is after the SACP — under general secretary Solly Mapaila — opted to contest elections outside the alliance following its unhappiness with the ANC’s decision to include the DA and FF Plus in the Government of National Unity (GNU).

Cosatu is now under pressure to give its affiliates and its members a line of march on who they should back in the elections.

The ANC hopes Cosatu will continue to back the party, as the federation has influence over about two-million members. The re-election of Cosatu president Zingisa Losi at the congress will be seen as a victory for the ANC as she is considered a close ally of party president Cyril Ramaphosa, despite also serving on the SACP’s central committee.

In the run-up to the Cosatu congress, the SACP has made notable inroads with some of the affiliates, with the National Education, Health and Allied Workers Union (Nehawu) formally endorsing the SACP for the coming polls.

However, other influential public sector unions — such as the South African Democratic Teachers Union (Sadtu) and the Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (Popcru) — have publicly said they will back the ANC.

They are supported in this stance by one of Cosatu’s oldest unions, the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM).

I think what will happen is this: I suspect we will just say we encourage workers to vote for a party within the alliance. Whether that’s ANC or the party [SACP]

The ANC-SACP conflict has worried Cosatu leaders, who say the issue has the potential to split the country’s biggest trade union federation if not handled delicately.

Hence the behind-the-scenes attempts to avoid affiliates voting on the matter at the Cosatu congress next month. The preferred approach, argues a Cosatu leader, is to encourage members of Cosatu to support any of the parties in the alliance.

“I think what will happen is this: I suspect we will just say we encourage workers to vote for a party within the alliance. Whether that’s ANC or the party [SACP]. As long as you vote for one of the two, it’s up to you,” said a senior Cosatu leader.

This leader said Cosatu had been placed in an extremely difficult position, having to choose between the two “parents”.