Johannesburg - Cosatu president Zingiswa Losi has cautioned the federation’s members against dumping the ANC in the November 1 local government elections.
Losi on Monday opened the federation’s virtual four-day central committee meeting and warned its members against complacency.
”Let us not delude ourselves that workers will be better off with the ANC losing,” she said.
Losi said the EFF has established a labour desk and was entering workplaces.
”We cannot afford to be found wanting,” she said, calling on all Cosatu members to mobilise their families to vote in their numbers, and ensure that the ANC will be returned to office after the municipal polls.
Losi said Cosatu members must watch municipalities and force them to deliver services, fight corruption, and pay workers on time.
The SA Democratic Teachers’ Union (Sadtu), one of Cosatu’s biggest affiliates, has resolved to support the ANC in the local government elections.
”As Sadtu is an affiliate of Cosatu, which is part of the tripartite alliance, the NEC (national executive committee) reiterated the union’s commitment to offer practical support to the ANC, by campaigning in defence and deepening democracy, as we move towards the local government elections,” Sadtu said.
ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa urged Cosatu members to contribute to the governing party’s campaign.
”I’ve been overjoyed over the past two days, when I was out campaigning to meet a number of workers within the ranks of our volunteers, who are working hard to ensure that there is an ANC victory,” he said.
Ramaphosa continued: “I’ve been heartened by that and I would say that let us continue doing that, let’s pull out all stops, this is an important election campaign and if we all put our shoulders to the wheel, we will be able to emerge victorious.”
He said the election campaign will be short and targeted, and that ANC members must all be on the ground mobilising as many people as possible to vote for the party.
Ramaphosa added that the municipal polls should be seen as a watershed moment for the country’s democracy, and enable the repositioning of the local sphere of government.
”The candidates, who will be elected following these elections, will be required to lead clean, efficient, service delivery-focused local government structures, that will be committed to serving the interests of our people,” Ramaphosa explained.
He said the ANC worked hard to ensure it is able to register candidates in all wards and proportional representation lists, after missing the deadline in a number of municipalities across the country, and that it has also corrected some of its weaknesses.
Ramaphosa also commented on Monday’s Constitutional Court judgment, dismissing the DA’s application, which challenged the Electoral Commission of SA’s (IEC) decision to reopen the candidate nomination process ahead of the local government elections, and called for the decision to be deemed unconstitutional, unlawful, invalid, reviewed, and set aside.
”We welcome the decision of the Constitutional Court to allow the reopening of candidate registration, to enable all South Africans to freely participate in the elections, and be able to vote for eligible candidates of their choice and to stand,” he said.
loyiso.sidimba@inl.co.za
Political Bureau