The content on this page is not written by Polity.org.za, but is supplied by third parties. This content does not constitute news reporting by Polity.org.za.

The Congress of South African Trade Unions welcomes the statement by President Jacob Zuma that the African National Congress is to establish a task team to investigate complaints about local government election candidates whom communities claim were imposed by party leaders.

COSATU has fully supported the ANC’s decision to enable local communities to participate in the selection of ANC candidates and its members have been involved in the process, which has generally worked well.

The federation has however expressed concern that in a minority of cases the process has been manipulated or abused by ‘gate-keepers’ in order to impose candidates of their choice and ignore the views of the communities.

This has unfortunately led to some rejected candidates standing as independents, something that COSATU has strongly opposed.

It is too late to change candidates whose names have already been submitted to the Independent Electoral Commission, but the federation hopes that the assurance that the task team will investigate irregularities with the list process, and remove undeserving councillors after the elections, and where necessary replace them with the communities’ preferred candidates, will encourage voters to support ANC candidates.

COSATU will work closely with its alliance parties to ensure that the process is conducted in an open and democratic fashion.

COSATU is fully in support of the ANC and urges its members and communities to reject both the pro-business and anti-poor opposition parties and independent candidates, who could split the vote and allow the opposition to sneak in.