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The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) in Gauteng applauds the mineworkers at Sibanye Stillwater for the unity they displayed during the 3-month long strike until the very end. The resilience illustrated by workers affiliated to the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) and the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU) is highly commendable. The workers firmly defended their demands and collective bargaining, unwavering to various pressures that existed throughout their struggle. This serves as a strong message to all employers in our province that workers in Gauteng are prepared to fight for better wages and will remain undeterred.

The unity of NUM and AMCU is an actualisation of the 14th Provincial Congress Resolution which reaffirmed solidarity of workers as key to fighting exploitation by employers and re-asserting the strength of trade unions in Gauteng. 

As Karl Marx has said: “Workers of the world unite, you have nothing to lose but your chains”. We therefore call on all our affiliates in the province to recommit to this teaching by collaborating and working together with other unions in the sectors they are organising.

COSATU in Gauteng will continue to stand alongside all workers in a quest for better wages and better working conditions regardless of industry, government department or business. 

Issued by COSATU Gauteng