The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) is the largest labour federation, but it continues to bleed members, declining from 2.2 million to roughly 1.6 million between 2012 and the subsequent reporting period.
This is due to poor leadership, inconsistent political positions, an inability to adapt to the changing work environment, technological advancements, global shifts, and other factors. Most affiliated unions that left the federation did so largely because of COSATU’s unconditional bromance with the ANC.
Workers are also members of communities grappling with failing municipalities that are unable to provide basic services, including running water, functional traffic lights, properly maintained streets, and adequate roads.
Yet COSATU appears to be largely silent on these challenges, which affect ordinary people daily. Its perceived lack of engagement with these socioeconomic issues raises questions about its relevance and its commitment to the broader interests of the working class.
COSATU’s relationship with the ANC has long been contested, with dissenting voices arguing that the alliance compromises the federation’s ability to represent workers independently. Critics contend that its political ties undermine its capacity to hold the governing party accountable when its policies or decisions adversely affect workers.
COSATU, however, has consistently defended its position by pointing to its role in advancing workers’ rights in the post-1994 political dispensation. The central question remains whether its historical achievements are sufficient to sustain its relevance in a changing political and economic landscape.
COSATU undoubtedly played a critical role in dismantling the apartheid system following its formation in 1985. As apartheid directly affected the working conditions and rights of its affiliated members, the federation was compelled to fight a system that oppressed the very workers it represented.
This highlights the federation’s primary responsibility: to protect the interests of the working class before advancing any particular political cause.
International solidarity should not be selective or confined to a single international political conflict, as appears to be the case with COSATU’s support for Palestine. All global political developments should receive the same level of attention and scrutiny as the Israel-Palestine conflict.
Political consistency is essential to strengthening the federation’s credibility and ensuring that it is not used to advance particular international political agendas. Universal standards should be applied to all global conflicts, allowing COSATU to defend the rights and interests of Palestinians while simultaneously holding Hamas accountable for its actions.
It continues to lose relevance as a result of its historical prioritisation of political activism over mobilising workers and fighting exploitative labour practices.
While COSATU’s support for Palestine is vocal, the federation appears to be falling short in addressing unemployment, abject poverty, widening inequalities, insecure employment and declining purchasing power.
It is against this backdrop that the largest labour federation in South Africa should be evaluated and redirected towards prioritising the needs of workers and communities.
Despite the complexity of the Israel-Palestine conflict, COSATU has made its position clear by calling for sanctions against Israel. However, such measures could have adverse consequences for ordinary workers and civilians in Israel who may have no direct responsibility for their government’s policies.
The fundamental purpose of a workers’ organisation is to promote solidarity among workers across the world and protect their interests, irrespective of nationality. While Palestinian workers undoubtedly deserve protection against exploitation and injustice, the question remains: what about Israeli workers? Do they not deserve the same consideration and protection afforded to workers elsewhere in the world?
COSATU’s approach also raises questions about the consistency of its international solidarity. Why has the federation not demonstrated the same level of commitment to sanctions against Russia or adopted an equally forceful approach towards those responsible for atrocities in Sudan and other parts of the world where people continue to suffer injustice?
Such apparent inconsistencies risk undermining the federation’s credibility and raising questions about whether its international positions are guided by universal principles or selective political considerations.
Rather than allowing international political disputes to overshadow its core mandate, COSATU should prioritise labour rights, workers’ livelihoods and economic justice. Its credibility as a workers’ federation depends on its ability to defend these interests consistently, regardless of the political actors involved.
When its positions appear to align selectively with particular political agendas, the federation risks creating the perception that it has become captive to political interests that extend beyond its primary responsibility to the working class. International solidarity should unite workers in the pursuit of justice, not become a vehicle for advancing selective political causes.
Kgwadi is a Research Fellow at the Middle East Africa Research Institute (MEARI).