The Congress of SA Trade Unions (Cosatu) has resolved to support Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa to be the next president of the African National Congress (ANC).
The federation is the first in the alliance to pronounce on its preference and comes even after the ANC last week released a statement urging it and its affiliates to steer clear of the leadership debate until the appropriate time.
The endorsement of Ramaphosa has been a long time coming with most Cosatu unions long having lobbied for the federation to take a position and publicly announce it.
The move is a blow for President Jacob Zuma and his allies who are pushing for African Union commission chairwoman Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma to take over.
Cosatu general secretary Bheki Ntshalintshali‚ speaking after Cosatu's central executive committee (CEC)‚ said federation bosses reflected on the “political gridlock” currently in the ANC.
"… After intense and robust debate‚ the CEC resolved to support and lobby for the deputy president of the ANC‚ comrade Cyril Ramaphosa‚ to take over the reins as the president of the ANC‚” Ntshalintshali said.
Cosatu is set to lobby and influence ANC structures to support Ramaphosa.
It also came out in support of a judicial commission of inquiry into state capture to look into the alleged corrupt relationships between Zuma‚ Cabinet ministers and the Gupta family.
However‚ it cautioned against the “public lynching” of those who have not yet been found guilty by the courts.
– TMG Digital/BusinessLIVE
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