Mashao Mohale, Atteridgeville: Once trade unions associate themselves with the ruling party, workers suffer from the unions' divided attention and costly compromises.

Cosatu should be independent to serve the interests of the working class. Its mandate is to defend and fight for the rights of workers without fear of jeopardising relations in the alliance.

The ANC values Cosatu only during election campaigns. They make empty promises of decent wages and jobs to workers, but fail to deliver. How long it will take Cosatu to realise that the ANC uses the alliance for electoral gain only?

It is time for Cosatu to break away from the alliance for the sake of the country's workers.

Otherwise, Cosatu will continue to compromise the interests of the workers in order to nurse its relations with the alliance.