Cosatu supports ‘all ANC mayoral candidates in Gauteng’‚ urges end to ‘anarchy’
The Congress of South African Trade Union of South Africa (Cosatu) has thrown its weight behind the African National Congress (ANC) Gauteng mayoral candidates ahead of the local government elections.Speaking at a media briefing in Johannesburg on Friday‚ Cosatu provincial chairperson Amos Monyela said the union federation would consult with its tripartite alliance partners to ensure the ANC wins.‘Lame duck’ Didiza won’t be able to rein in ANC’s ‘hyenas’‚ opposition parties sayThoko Didiza is committed “to building on a record of rising unemployment‚ endemic corruption‚ inadequate service delivery and rampant crime”. "We welcome and support all mayoral candidates in Gauteng. The decision on mayoral candidates for the ANC rests with the ANC itself.“We will work side by side with the alliance partners to ensure a two-thirds majority for all municipalities‚” said Monyela. This comes as the ANC on Thursday formally introduced its 11 mayoral candidates for the upcoming local government elections on 3 August.The federation also condemned the violence has erupted in Tshwane following what is believed to be dissatisfaction over the announcement of Thoko Didiza as capital city's mayoral candidate."It is wrong and counter-revolutionary to destroy property built and provided out of people's struggles and claim to be doing so in the name of advancing a democratic right to protest‚" he said. He also blamed the high unemployment rate for the acts of violence in Tshwane: "We will engage with our alliance partner on the question of job creation because what had fuelled this violence is the high level of unemployment‚ poverty and inequalities.”Monyela urged all structures of the ruling party to create a platform to listen to concerns being raised by residents of Tshwane without allowing “anarchy to rule the day and undermine the election campaign”.Many parts of the city had been rendered inaccessible due to road closures‚ the looting of shops and torching of vehicles during protests sparked by the announcement of Didiza’s nomination. ..
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