The South African Transport and Allied Workers Union ( SATAWU) held its Central Executive Committee meeting at Birchwood Hotel from 19th - 21st November 2009. On 18th November 2009, prior to the Executive Committee meeting the organisation celebrated in a special way the departure of the former general secretary, comrade Randall Howard, who on 1st October 2009 joined the Honourable Minister comrade Richard Baloyi's office. This celebration was of a special type the Union had to deal with given realities of departing ways with the former general secretary after twenty three years in the Labour movement as well conducting processes to replace him with an acting general secretary until the National Congress in 2011. This was a most challenging period of our times, which was a call to the Union to accept and take the organisation towards our limitations.
In recognition of these challenges, the Union committed to resuscitate its efforts on keeping its commitments to members, accept his departure and conduct bi-elections for the acting general secretary position until the National Congress. The Union through its Central Executive Committee committed to smooth running of the Union, whilst noting that the departure of the former general secretary has left the Union with grave political vacuum and various challenges, however committed to address and deal with these challenges in a matured political way as to advance our struggle and the mandate of the National Congress.
On 21st November 2009 the Central Executive Committee conducted bi-elections for the position vacated by the former general secretary, that being to act in the position for the remaining term until the National Congress in 2011. In all honesty, the Central Executive Committee, irrespective of different views that were expressed by delegates, sufficed and raised above political challenges and elected North West Provincial Secretary, comrade Zenzo Mahlangu as the acting general secretary of the Union. Such a process, facilitated by the Independent electoral Commission, showed the maturity of the CEC delegates, hence a blessing and support the CEC showed to the elected acting general secretary and further commitment by the National Office Bearers to give support where and when even the elected general secretary would require performing his new role and responsibilities.
Comrade Zenzo Mahlangu has workers for number of Security Companies as a security officer from the early 1990s. Such Companies included S.S.H that changed to S.F.H. and later became Bayete Security Holdings. During all these years and through by means of his commitment, comrade served as a shop stewards from one company to the other and ultimately became a full time shop steward at Bayete Security Holdings, a position he held until he join the then Transport and General Workers Union in 1999 as a local organiser. Subsequent to the merger between Transport and General Workers Union with the then SARHWU in the year 2000,comrade Zenzo Mahlangu was later elected as the North West provincial secretary a position he held until elected to the acting general secretary position on the 21st November 2009.
The Union through all its formations has committed to support the newly elected acting general secretary on delivering his new role and responsibilities, also given the fact that he will be working with the most tested and responsible National Leadership of the Union.