Cosatu president Zingiswa Losi has decried the silence of the SACP while government was undermining bargaining agreements and abusing workers.
The trade union’s influential public sector unions have in the recent times slammed President Cyril Ramaphosa’s government for failure to honour the 2018 wage agreement that could have seen salary increases of 4.4% and 5% from April 2021.
Addressing the 15th national conference in Birchwood Hotel in Ekurhuleni, Losi said the SACP had been silent when government was abusing workers.
“We cannot rest on our laurels when the working class is under siege. We must lead from the front. Leadership of the party, workers are under siege like never before since the breakthrough of 1994,” she said, noting that the silence has been deafening.
Losi also called for the arrest of those who are involved in stealing from the public coffers irrespective of their status, saying there can never be unity with criminals.
“Former president Thabo Mbeki is correct, there cannot be any unity with criminals.”
Losi added that corruption was rampant in the country because the National Prosecuting Authority was not arresting senior politicians, and said the SACP and Cosatu had to help the ANC renew or face the reality of losing elections in 2024.
She said service delivery would be derailed if the ANC enters into a coalition government in 2024, adding that coalitions by their nature led to leaders negotiating for their own benefits at the expense of ordinary people.
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