Cosatu stands by call for Ramaphosa to lead

The call by Cosatu for Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa to take take the reins of the ANC and the country is an attempt to save the movement‚ says the labour federation's Tyotyo James.

Speaking at the opening day of the Cosatu's 6th Central Committee in Irene‚ Pretoria‚ on Monday‚ Cosatu first deputy president James defended the federation's decision to back Ramaphosa.

"We are making those pronouncements because we want to save the ANC from self-destruction. Cosatu must not be condemned for its choice of who should be the president of the ANC. We want to current deputy president to be the president of the ANC‚ that must be clear‚" said James‚ to applause.

• Cosatu: Cyril’s our manThe Congress of South African Trade Unions has defended its decision to back ANC deputy president Cyril Ramaphosa as its preferred candidate to replace President Jacob Zuma next year, describing him as a “liberator of mineworkers” during apartheid. 

He said that the federation should not be called to order over its Ramaphosa call. It had now become the norm for ANC alliance partners to publicly announce their preferred leadership candidates‚ without disciplinary action being taken.

Both the ANC Women's League and the ANC Youth League had earlier this year publicly backed former African Union Chairperson Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma to lead the party.

During his opening address‚ Cosatu leader S'dumo Dlamini said it was crucial for Cosatu to continue working with the ANC as it would be nothing without the movement.

• Rise up against state capture‚ calls Vytjie MentorFormer African National Congress MP Vytjie Mentor has called on South Africans to fight for the country and land a final blow to the capture of the state by private individuals. 

"But the ANC must help us to go through this journey of ensuring that we can build a stronger ANC-led alliance because at the moment‚ it seems decisions can be taken by one partner and they affect all of us and we are not part of those decisions... that must come to an end‚" Dlamini said.

Ramaphosa is expected to deliver a message of support on behalf of the ANC on Tuesday.