The Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) denied reports on Friday that its Western Cape leader is considering the creation of a new party to help the African National Congress win back dwindling support in the province.
”It is true that Cosatu Western Cape provincial secretary Tony Ehrenreich is not seeking re-election to that position, a decision he took long ago, and which had nothing to do with any new party,” a Cosatu statement read.
”It is also true that he has written and circulated a fourth draft of a discussion document entitled ‘Proposed Cosatu election programme’, which was circulated to affiliate and alliance leaders for discussion and comments.
”There is however no truth whatsoever in the assertion that ‘Tony Ehrenreich plans… possibly to contest the forthcoming election with a new party’.”
The report appeared in the Mail & Guardian on Friday. It quoted from the discussion document that warns of a drop in ANC support in the Western Cape.
The newspaper quoted Ehrenreich as saying: ”I believe it’s time to shake things up and change the way we conduct politics … There is a substantial amount of people who support the values of the ANC but they don’t like the leaders or their actions.”
Ehrenreich suggested in the document a coalition partner for the ANC to ”appeal to workers who are not inclined to the ANC but are solid supporters of Cosatu”.
Cosatu said the document discussed how best Cosatu could assist the ANC in winning the election in the Western Cape.
”The document does discuss the possibility of the ANC working with a ‘coalition partner that will share the kind of progressive agenda that advances the interest of the poor in the W Cape’.
”No such organisation currently exists, or is likely to exist; this is no more than a suggestion that the ANC might in the future work together with such a partner in order to maximise its vote,” said Cosatu. — Sapa