The South African Democratic Teachers' Union (Sadtu) has called on Cosatu to endorse Cyril Ramaphosa for the position of African National Congress (ANC) president in 2017.

"It has become a practice now, a principle... that deputy presidents of the African National Congress are prepared at some stage to become the leaders of the African National Congress," Sadtu deputy general secretary Nkosana Dolopi told Cosatu's 12th National Congress in Midrand, Johannesburg, on Tuesday.

This prompted loud cheers and whistling from some Cosatu affiliates at the congress.

"We said when we went to Mangaung [in 2012] that we elected a deputy president, we had faith in that deputy president... because if we did not we would not have given him that serious responsibility.

"So why the doubt now if we are principled people? So, we are saying we should be led all the time by principle."

The Democratic Nursing Organisation of South Africa supported Sadtu's proposal.

However, Cosatu second deputy president Zingiswa Losi, who was chairing the session on the debate on the political report, reminded delegates that this was a proposal and not a decision taken by congress.

"So because you have all applauded does not make it a decision... It must be tested in a debate."

The ANC has warned its members not to discuss the 2017 succession. The party wants to focus on local government elections.

News24.com