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The Congress of South African Trade Unions in Gauteng convened the 1st Provincial Executive Committee (PEC) after the 14th Provincial Congress on 14-15 June 2022. The meeting discussed amongst others progress made since the Provincial Congress, political, socio-economic, international balance of forces and organisational work.

Organisational

The PEC in its assessment of the organisation concluded that the unity and solidarity of workers is sacrosanct. In the same breath, the PEC concluded that the going-back-to-basics program will commence by forging the unity of workers across the province and revive solidarity amongst affiliates. This work was demonstrated by the recent Provincial Shopstewards Council which was held in UNISA in Tshwane and replicated as a march in solidarity with the dismissed shopstewards. The PEC concluded a three-year organisational program anchored around defending the Labour Relation Act, particularly collective bargaining, shopstewards education and training, as well as building locals and clusters as engines of service delivery and campaigns.

Political

The PEC assessed the political situation in Gauteng, particularly amongst alliance partners. The meeting guided by the 14th Provincial Congress resolution on building and strengthening the alliance concluded that the beginning of building the alliance should start with the unity within the ANC going to its Provincial Congress. This being the case, the PEC led by Provincial Office Bearers has started engagements with all groupings within the ANC. 

The guiding framework of our engagements is to encourage the winners of the conference not to be triumphalist and the losers to accept the outcomes and rally behind the winners.

The priority for the Alliance is to focus on winning the hearts of the disillusioned society and working towards winning the 2024 elections. This can only be done by improving services to the people and demonstrating unity and tolerance post the conference. The PEC also concluded that the alliance is not complete without the South African National Civic Organisation (SANCO) and mandated Provincial Office Bearers to work tirelessly to rebuild SANCO.

As part of building and strengthening the alliance, the PEC concluded that COSATU should work towards building a mass based SACP entrenched in working class areas. Further to this, COSATU will work with the SACP to build class consciousness for workers through political education and political classes.

Socio-Economic

The meeting also noted the dire socio-economic challenges which includes poor service delivery in working class areas, unemployment, poverty, high levels of crime and murder as per the Gauteng crime statistics report, gender-based violence, increases in fuel, food, and electricity price. The PEC concluded that these challenges are result of poor macro-economic policies driven through neo-liberal austerity measures. In view of this, the PEC concluded to wage campaigns of high fuel prices, establishment of the provincial state bank and pharmaceutical company, human trafficking, gender-based violence, police, and teacher’s killings.

The PEC welcomed promulgation of the Township Economic Development Act and concluded that this act will assist to develop township businesses as engines of job creations in our townships. Further to this the PEC reflected on social compacting, ability to mobilize towards the advancement of the revolution, authority, and power as well as skills and capability. With this being the case, all the said will be dealt with within the established socio-economic commission.

Confronted by these socio-economic challenges, the PEC resolved to convene a socio-economic conference in October 2022 which will focus its energy on developing strategies that would assist in building safer communities, economic recovery interventions, social compacting, and skills development.

Issued by COSATU Gauteng