Three major trade union federations – the Congress of the South African Trade Unions (Cosatu), the South African Federation of Trade Unions (Saftu) and the National Council of Trade Unions (Nactu) – have put aside ideological differences, demanding better governance from the seventh administration – even under the difficult conditions of coalition arrangements, and possibly a government of national unity.
The election outcomes yielded on the national front no outright majority, while on the provincial sphere, the ANC outrightly won several provinces including the Eastern Cape, Free State, Mpumalanga, North West, while the DA clinched an outright victory in the Western Cape.
The newly formed uMkhonto we Sizwe (MK) Party will need a coalition partner to run KwaZulu-Natal, with their nearly 45% lead, while the ANC, short of an outright 50%+1 win, will need to cobble up help from other parties to take charge of the Gauteng province.
Cosatu national spokesperson Matthew Parks said it was the federation’s view and that of the ANC alliance partners, that whatever negotiation was arrived at, the policies of the ANC had to trump, and should not be diluted by those of coalition partners.
“What is key is that a coalition to be led by the ANC and President Cyril Ramaphosa be progressive and biased towards the needs of the working-class communities, to defend the rights of the workers, and to grow the economy and create jobs, and invest in public service, and unite the nation,” Parks said.
He said while the ANC was obligated to negotiate with other parties, what was non-negotiable was the watering down of the party’s manifesto. This should not be tampered with when coalition arrangements are discussed.
“The ANC’s manifesto must be the policy platform for the seventh administration,” he said.
He said the ANC manifesto was sacred and there is no expectation from the alliance partners that this will be changed, adding that the ANC should be rigid and unrelenting on this matter.
Saftu spokesperson Trevor Shaku said Saftu wished for a coalition that would promote greater public ownership and the reversal of the unbundling of Eskom and other state-owned enterprises, “a policy that is at variance with what the ANC-led government is currently pursuing”.
Given the large-scale state of poverty and unemployment in the country, Shaku said Saftu would support the government policy that places much
emphasis on massive re-industrialisation projects through which the government enjoys a free hand to intervene in the economy.
Nactu general secretary Narius Moloto said: “The reports we get are that a government of national unity could be on the cards. This might have a promising outcome.
“Our view as Nactu is that compromise will have to be struck, and with every political formation not expecting to have their policies dominating the workings of the new political arrangement.
“Our expectations are for a clean government.”
