The Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) and the South African Communist Party (SACP) will campaign to change the manner in which the tripartite alliance is operating, both organisations said on Thursday.
”The days of collective alliance campaigning for elections, but decisions being left exclusively in the hands of the African National Congress [ANC], are now over,” SACP secretary general Blade Nzimande told reporters in Johannesburg after his party held a two-day bilateral meeting with Cosatu.
Nzimande said the two organisations agreed that in order for the alliance to exist, an ongoing mobilisation programme should be implemented at the ground level.
”The summit noted that apart from national alliance secretariat meetings, the alliance hardly exists on the ground. The building of a strong alliance requires principally strong working-class organisation and mobilisation,” Nzimande said.
The organisation also agreed to actively prepare and participate in the forthcoming ANC conference.
”We regard this conference as absolutely important in that it will point the way on, among other things, the seriousness with which we want to change the colonial character of our economy …”
The meeting also noted some positive developments in government policy, such as the setting of clear targets to reduce unemployment, new programmes to combat HIV/Aids, the recognition of the important role of public servants and other developments. — Sapa