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The Congress of South African Trade Unions in Mpumalanga will host two May Day celebrations at both the Acornhoek stadium in the Bushbuckridge Municipality and the Themba Senamela Stadium in the Steve Tshwete Municipality.

The celebrations will be held under the theme “Celebrating 30 Years and Defending Collective Bargaining, Workers Jobs and Rights”.

Since from its inception on the 01 December 1985, COSATU has championed the struggle against unemployment, poverty and inequalities.

COSATU has fought for better working conditions for all workers and have forced government to introduce the worker friendly labour legislations.

COSATU is a militant, revolutionary and transformative trade union movement that won battles at the workplace and also challenged the apartheid regime and actively participated in the defeat of an abhorrent system which was regarded by the United Nations as a crime against humanity.

This year 2016, COSATU will use its May Day celebrations in Mpumalanga to radicalise its efforts and struggle to achieve the following;-

• To defend and advance the unity and cohesion of the revolutionary Alliance in the province
• To strive for the overwhelming victory of the African National Congress in the 2016 Local Government elections
• To defend the right of all vulnerable workers i.e. farm workers, domestic and security workers
• To strive for the total ban of labour brokers
• To strive for the scraping of toll - gates and for implementation of the integrated Public Transport System
• To strive for the introduction of the Comprehensive Social Security
• To strive for the Implementation of the National Health Insurance (NHI) and
• To struggle for the introduction of the National Minimum Wage

Among the National leaders who will address the COSATU Mpumalanga celebrations are the following:-

Zingiswa Losi        -         COSATU 2nd Deputy President

Baleka Mbete        -         ANC National Chairperson

Thulasi Nxesi        -         SACP Deputy National Chairperson

DS Mkhwanazi      -         SANCO National Chairperson

Issued by COSATU Mpumalanga