OWN CORRESPONDENT, Johannesburg | Monday 10.30Am
LEADERS of the African National Congress and the Congress of South African Trade Unions on Sunday night vehemently denied that their alliance is in danger of splitting.
ANC chairman Patrick Lekota told SABC public television: “South Africa has no future without the alliance. The ANC needs the alliance more than ever.” Lekota was interviewed along with newly-elected Cosatu secretary-general Zwelinzima Vavi who in turn gave the assurance that: “The alliance still has a long role to play.”
Their statements follow a three-day Cosatu congress last week at which tension between the two alliance partners erupted into the open, with Lekota sharply rebuking Cosatu for airing its unhappiness with government policy in public. Following the attack, Cosatu called for an urgent meeting with the ANC to discuss their problems.
Cosatu-affiliated unions are furious with government’s unilateral decision last week to break off public service wage talks and implement a 6,3% salary hike, one percent below their demand.
Vavi confirmed on Sunday that a Cosatu-backed strike by 800000 public servants in protest at the move will go ahead on Tuesday.
In addition to the government’s intransigence on public service wages, Cosatu is also unhappy with its Growth, Employment and Redistribution (Gear) macro-economic policy, charging that this sacrifices social needs for fiscal purposes. On Gear Lekota Sunday said: “It is not an issue for us to split,” adding that the ANC and Cosatu — which helped the ruling party to victory in June elections — supported each other on “90% of issues.”
But the two partners admitted they are divided on the ANC’s steady move away from socialism. Cosatu’s new president, Willie Madisha, had told the conference that “under capitalism we can never resolve the divisions in our society.” — AFP