Programme Director,
President Cyril Ramaphosa and founding General Secretary of the NUM
Leadership of the ANC, SACP, COSATU, government and civil society,
Most importantly our veterans of the United Democratic Front,

COSATU is humbled to join the 40th anniversary celebrations of the UDF. We are proud of the umbilical relationship between COSATU and the UDF, their founding within 2 years of each other and an intertwined leadership was no accident.

The founding call of COSATU, of one country, one federation, one industry, one union is as relevant today as it was then. Karl Marx provided the clarion call to workers of the world to unite. Whilst we have not yet succeeded in fulfilling this mission of Elijah Barayi, and at times we have been pained by the divisions in the labour movement, we are pleased with the increasing unity between the federations at Nedlac and on the ground where unions have worked as one in the mining, clothing, transport and energy sectors. The colours of our t-shirts differ but the challenges facing workers are one.

Full Speech Attached