The Congress of South African Trade Unions warmly welcomes the strong condemnation by the National Executive Committee of the African National Congress of "the new culture of public spats, trading of insults and personalised attacks amongst its leaders". 
The statement echoes the words of the COSATU Central Executive Committee which condemned those who are "trying hard to take us back to the politics of labelling, name calling, back-stabbing, rumour and scandal mongering, marginalisation and closure of space for free and democratic debates". 
COSATU has always rejected this style of politics and has never allowed its political disagreements to slide into personal insults and questioning of people's bona fides. As the NEC says, this "detracts from the historic mission of the ANC, its discipline, traditions and protocols". 
The federation also fully backs the NEC's defence of Pravin Gordhan. While we have some disagreements with the Finance Minister over monetary policy and wage subsidies, on which we shall continue to engage, we have expressed agreement with many other sections of his budget speech, and we deplore the personalised attacks which have been made on him by the ANC Youth League.
COSATU further welcomes NEC's directive to its officials "to institute disciplinary measures against any leaders of the ANC at any level after this NEC who continue to engage in these activities which are alien to our movement". This is the second time such a pledge has been made, but last time no action was taken against those who defied it, for example the President of the ANC Youth League. We hope that the NEC will this time take action to implement this decision. 
The federation also shares the NEC's "astonishment" at "the disrespect shown by some leaders and structures of our movement, particularly relating to the succession debate to our 2012 National Conference". COSATU agrees with the NEC that ANC structures must pronounce on the matter of succession only at an appropriate time and that until that time it should not be publicly discussed. 
COSATU welcomes the announcement that the NEC has committed itself to intensify its engagements with communities protesting about service, local development issues, and accountability of elected representatives or lack thereof. COSATU will back the NEC's work with our communities to find lasting solutions to the challenges they face. 
The federation also welcomes the focus of the NEC meeting on strengthening the organisation, both in the party structures and in government, and pledges our full support for that campaign. 
COSATU however expresses regret that the NEC rejected its call for lifestyle audits of public representatives. The federation will continue to campaign for a much tougher fight against the cancer of corruption and in particular the abuse of public office for private enrichment. As the NEC says, "society must play its role in fighting any devious means of accessing business opportunities" and lifestyle audits can be a powerful weapon in that fight.
The federation has never, as alleged, called for using lifestyle audits "selectively" which, as the NEC says, "can degenerate into using state organs for factional interests", which is why COSATU has always argued that it must be implemented across the board in order to tackle all such abuse.
The federation agrees with the NEC's recommitment to Broad Based Black Economic Empowerment and Employment Equity in the workplace, which have "built and continue to grow the black middle class, as an important stratum in society". 

COSATU is however concerned at the NEC's half-hearted and vague commitment to be "decisive in acting against using the tender system to give business to individuals in ways that create the perception that there is favouritism or corruption in the process". 

There is no firm commitment to investigate the many specific allegations in the media, such as Gauteng Premier Nomvula Mokonyane's decision to award of a R30 million tender to "beautify" the highway leading to OR Tambo Airport without going through a proper tender process. For the public to gain confidence in the tender processes, and to remove the "perception that there is favouritism or corruption", the NEC should fully investigate this, and many other such allegations in the media.

COSATU welcomes the proposed bilateral meeting with the ANC, and will take the opportunity to raise issues of common concern, such as the Eskom tariff increases and the ANC's involvement with Hitachi South Africa, a company which is building power stations for Eskom.