Pretoria - Cosatu is yet to make up its mind on whether to dump the ANC for the SACP in next year’s national general elections.
Calls for the federation’s support have driven a wedge between the tripartite alliance partners.
In September last year, during the federation’s 14th elective conference, Cosatu endorsed the SACP in the 2024 elections, confirmed by its president, Zingiswa Losi, in her closing remarks.
However, speaking to Pretoria News yesterday, federation spokesperson Sizwe Pamla said the workers’ organisation still had work to do in making a decision on whether to dump the ruling party.
“This has been an ongoing discussion. We are about to have a central executive committee (CEC) meeting and that’s where these discussions will be continuing,” said Pamla.
He said in its last meeting, the CEC had resolved to convene a political school on the matter and discuss the “reconfiguration” of the tripartite alliance.
Asked how likely it was for Cosatu to stick to Losi’s assertions at the conference, Pamla said it was up to affiliates to make the final decision.
“I wouldn’t be in a position to answer that. Whatever the workers demand, that’s what they will get,” he said.
On Workers Day, Losi told workers they could not afford to be divided when they were under siege. She said only a strengthened alliance would be able to defy the odds at next year’s general elections.
“We must go to elections in 2024 – our most difficult elections since 1994 – united and determined to defend the many gains that workers have won since 1994. We must go to the elections committed to tackle the failures and setbacks geared to accelerate the struggles to improve the lives of the poor and ready to deliver a resounding victory for the alliance.”
It’s known to Pretoria News that a total of 543 delegates voted in favour of dumping the ANC, while 194 voted against it at the Cosatu September conference last year.
Popcru and Samwu supported the motion while Sadtu – which has the second highest membership in Cosatu – wanted a consultative conference of Left parties to be convened first before a decision to dump the ANC was taken. It also wanted to discuss the feasibility of supporting the SACP.
Mapaila, at the Cosatu conference, said the SACP was ready to contest the elections outside the ANC.
And responding on whether the SACP had made a decision in contesting next year’s elections, SACP spokesperson Alex Mashilo said: “Augmented central committee agreed to contest elections with an effective and reconfigured alliance as our preferred modality as our posture toward the 2024 elections and beyond.
“By a reconfiguration, we mean a common alliance commitment to defend and advance the national democratic revolution, based on the vision of the Freedom Charter. In addition, we will engage alliance partners for a consensus.”
Pretoria News