The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) is bracing for challenging public sector wage negotiations following a government reshuffle that saw opposition party members assume key Cabinet positions. This change comes after a power-sharing agreement was established in the aftermath of the recent elections.
As part of the newly formed Government of National Unity (GNU), Mzamo Buthelezi from the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) was appointed as the Minister of Public Service and Administration in early July.
COSATU has expressed concerns about the potential effects of these political shifts on upcoming wage discussions.
Tensions had already been high leading up to the elections, with the alliance between the African National Congress (ANC), COSATU, and the South African Communist Party (SACP) feeling the strain due to what some viewed as the ANC’s failure to fulfill its commitments.
The unions had even threatened to withdraw their support for the ANC during the elections if it did not meet the wage demands of public servants.
Although a two-year agreement is currently in effect, COSATU President Zingiswa Losi anticipates difficult negotiations for the 2025/26 fiscal year.
During a speech at the National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union (NEHAWU)’s national political school in Boksburg, Losi stressed the importance of accountability, stating, “This is what we were saying to some of the ministers, we were saying, ‘These are the six priorities of the ANC election manifesto, and they have to find expression in the programme of your department in the seventh administration’. We must, therefore, ensure that the deployees who fail to deliver are held accountable and recalled where necessary.”
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