As the strain between government and the country’s largest trade union federation persists, Matuma Letsoalo spoke to Cosatu president Sdumo Dlamini.
Matuma Letsoalo: In spite of pushing Jacob Zuma as Âthe candidate for the highest office in the land, Cosatu appears not to support any policy
position he takes as president. Why is this?
Sdumo Dlamini: I don’t think that’s true. We remain opposed to neo-liberal policies. I wouldn’t say we are opposed to Zuma policies [specifically].
But Cosatu repeatedly criticised Zuma’s State of the Nation address last year and some of his Cabinet ministers, such as Pravin Gordhan.
Zuma came into power in 2009 and we supported his maiden speech. We were very cautious in saying we wanted things to be done differently. But on policy pronouncements, we were not going to expect a lot from his first speech. We applauded his Cabinet composition. Largely, Cosatu supported his views from the outset. We opposed the wage subsidy in particular. And Cosatu raised concerns about issues of corruption so sharply others in the ANC thought it was taking an opposition stance.
Your public pronouncements on the ANC and government policies have fuelled perception that you are as gatvol with Zuma as you were with former president Thabo Mbeki.
We have been openly critical of this government in the most visible way, more so than during Mbeki’s term. Towards the end of 2009 and last year Cosatu started feeling that the centre was not holding. The president was weak. There was a sense that those who prepared the [2010 State of the Nation] speech did not do proper research. After we made that criticism, a lot changed.
Do you share Zwelinzima Vavi’s view that Zuma is presiding over a Âpredatory state plagued by a paralysis of leadership?
Vavi … was warning that if things continued the way they did, it would lead us to a predatory state.
Now, whenever there are allegations of corruption there is an investigation. This has happened in the Northern Cape, where ANC chairman John Block is currently under investigation. Investigators are also probing allegations of corruption in Mpumalanga.
Some ANC leaders have demanded that Cosatu apologise for referring to ANC leaders as “political hyenas”. Will you?
Nobody has ever asked us to apologise. Until such a request comes, we are not going to look at it. The real issue is not that people are called names, it is about taking action on corruption.
You seem convinced that the new growth path (NGP) will not create the five million new jobs by 2020 the government says it will.
We welcomed the tabling of the NGP as an important step. But in its current form, it will not achieve its intended goals. It falls short on the key drivers of job creation. We are encouraged that Zuma said we are welcome to engage with government. This will be important because [otherwise] the NGP will come from the government without the engagement of alliance leaders.
What will you do if the government ignores your pleas?
We are going to work hard to influence the ANC and government leaders on this. If it fails, we can always take a cue from our members on what needs to be done next.
You have said several times that Cosatu is not prepared to sign a blank cheque for its support of the ANC during Âelections. What commitment will you look for this time around from the ANC?
There is a commitment already to create jobs. We will be looking closely at how the ANC deals with the call to do away with labour brokers. Also, we need quality service delivery. When the ANC identify candidates, it should use criteria that satisfies society that the behaviour of those to be put in positions of power is beyond reproach and that they have a track record of service delivery.
Will Cosatu draw up its own list of candidates for key positions in the ANC-controlled municipalities?
Those who are identified must be ANC members, whether they are in Cosatu or the SACP. Cosatu will suggest candidates from its Âstructures. The alliance structures should work jointly in identifying suitable candidates.