When Cosatu hurts‚ the ANC feels the pain too says Mbete

African National Congress (ANC) national chairperson Baleka Mbete‚ said the leadership and entire membership of the ANC had been “disturbed greatly” by the recent “acrimonious discord” within the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu).

None of the alliance partners and its membership could take pride in the “disunity threatening to tear apart our beloved trade union federation. When Cosatu hurts‚ the ANC feels the pain too.”

Speaking at Cosatu’s Special Congress on Tuesday‚ Mbete said none of the alliance partners could be strong standing on their own. “We either strengthen the alliance or risk being rendered irrelevant by neo-liberal and counter-revolutionary forces.”

Therefore‚ she said‚ it was not possible that the leadership of the ANC could fold their hands and observe Cosatu facing major organisational challenges that had the potential to destroy the existence of the trade federation.

“That’s why the national executive committee of the ANC mandated a task team led by the deputy president of the ANC to do everything possible that may assist the leadership of the federation to close ranks and resolve these organisational challenges."

She said one of the issues that needed clarification was how “we relate to one another when it comes to the recent developments and challenges in Cosatu”.

“In this regard I would like to quote directly from the declaration of our Alliance Summit: ‘The summit also affirms its support of the right of Cosatu to make its own decisions concerning internal discipline.”

“We cannot afford to trade insults publicly and assume that it strengthens our position. On the contrary‚ it lowers our position in society and our standing among forces of the left.

“We need to express our differences among each other in a mature and disciplined manner and within the confines of the federation.”

She said the ANC attached great significance to the Special Congress as its discussions and resolutions would have far reaching implications to the political and economic trajectory of South Africa.

“The structure and ownership patterns in the South African economy have to be changed for us to build social cohesion‚ eradication of poverty and inequality. The current structure of the South African economy is characterised by low skills base‚ high income inequality‚ energy supply constraints and racially distorted ownership patterns. The global economic crisis has worsened the triple challenge of poverty ‚ inequality and unemployment.

“These challenges can only be tackled by a capable developmental state. Workers play a critical role in the building of a developmental state and an ensuring an inclusive economic growth.

“Therefore‚ there is an expectation from all South Africans that trade unions should be at the centre of the building of the capacity of the state. Equally‚ there is also an expectation that the trade union movement must assist the developmental state to implement a radical industrial policy‚” Mbete said.

“You must emerge from this Special Congress united and ready more than ever to defend the interest of the working class and the gains they have secured through struggle."

RDM News Wire.