Cosatu said it couldn’t influence the ANC in power-sharing talks before President Ramaphosa’s cabinet announcement. They also discussed the standing of workers, planned a national day of action, and the government of national unity. The ANC briefed the alliance during its secretariat meeting before the last NEC.
First deputy president Mike Shingange said,
“We have always maintained we are an alliance of three independent components — Cosatu, the SACP and ANC. We are within our rights or reserve our rights to take decisions the best way we see fit, even if it is to the disagreement of our alliance partner,”
“Given the pressure the ANC is going through, perhaps this became the safest way for them to go into their own internal national executive committee (NEC) and independently take decisions as they see fit. They have other political parties to contend with,”
“We indicated our view, which is to form a minority government. A follow-up meeting was to take place; it did not take place until the NEC met and pronounced on a GNU,”
“We want to separate being briefed and being consulted, understanding that even when you are consulted it doesn’t mean your views must be taken into consideration — but at least we are asked for our view.
“We have to continue to indicate that which we are against, while accepting the DA will be in the GNU. After that, when the statement of intent was engaged with political parties, there was an alliance political council meeting which we attended. We were briefed.”
The DA will not be excluded once they agree on a GNU, as the invitation is extended to almost everyone. Political parties need to come together, considering the voters’ views. Cosatu has disagreed with the DA’s economic policy, calling it a regression of workers’ rights and a transformation reversal.
“We could not scream more than that, except indicating our opposition to allowing the DA to play the music and call the tunes. Unlike the previous election, which resulted in a stable environment, things are now different and they are moving fast.
“After these elections we are in a terrain we are not familiar with. There are so many political parties who went into the elections, none of them have received a majority to form government alone.”
Shingange emphasized the need for political parties to find a way forward as coalition talks conclude before the cabinet formation.
“We have played our part, we have contributed and campaigned rigorously for the ANC. We have never campaigned this hard before, like we did this time around.
“We were in opposition, particularly of a grand coalition between the ANC and the DA. We knew once they agree on a GNU there is no way the DA will be excluded because the invite is extended to almost everyone who wants to participate.”
The three-day CEC resolved to urge the seventh administration to boost the economy quickly, create jobs, and stop austerity measures and layoffs.
