/ 1 December 1995

Tenyearsago

COSATU, the largest-ever federation of independent trade unions in South Africa, is to be launched in Durban tomorrow under the banner “One Federation, One Country”.

With 33 affiliates, a signed-up membership of over 500 000 and 430 000 paid-up members, the Congress of South African Trade Unions overtakes the Trade Union Council of South Africa (Tucsa), which has 43 unions and 340 000 paid-up members.

At least 800 delegates from Cosatu affiliate unions are expected to attend the inaugural congress.

Not only is the federation the largest in the country, but it will have a presence in all major sectors of the economy and will unite workers in some of the most powerful unions under one

The emergence of Cosatu will be marred by the exclusion of 20 black trade unions inclined towards black consciousness. They are the 11 member unions of the Council of Unions of South Africa (Cusa) and the nine unions affiliated to the Azanian Congress of Trade Unions (Azactu). — The Weekly Mail, November 29 to December 5 1985