Ehrenreich set on tackling challenges
COSATU provincial secretary Tony Ehrenreich was re-elected to the federation’s provincial executive during its congress yesterday.
About 850 delegates attended the provincial congress, held in Pinelands at the weekend, where Ehrenreich came up against National Union of Mineworkers’ Benson Ngqentsu for the provincial secretary position.
Motlatsi Tsubane, from the National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union, replaced Dan Melaphi as provincial chairperson, while Ingrid Leukes, from the South African Democratic Teachers Union, was not opposed as treasurer.
Andile Ngqaneka was re-elected as the vice-chairperson after being opposed by Jackie Breda and Happiness Holiday.
Ehrenreich said the new Cosatu leadership was expected to help its alliance partners, the ANC, to unseat the DA in next year’s local government elections.
He said one of the many missions of the new leadership was to tackle issues affecting workers such as labour brokers, education, poverty, racism and inequality – adding the federation would drive the programme of unity, and co-operation between the affiliates.
“We commit to ban labour brokers and outsourcing in the province, and to stopping all forms of racism and discrimination in a practical way by changing attitudes and the way communities are built and serviced. This DA province continues to defend apartheid generational advantages of some white communities,” Ehrenreich told the Cape Times last night.
According to him, the federation identifies racism as the “greatest challenge” in the province, while it also wanted to address problems around services such as transport, health care, education, housing and other basic services.
Ehrenreich added that some of the declarations include a commitment to decent jobs with a minimum wage, and protecting workers in relationships with their bosses.
Ehrenreich said that during the course of the week, leaders would meet and implement the resolutions and declarations of the congress.
Asked whether he would retain his seat on the City of Cape Town’s council or remain as the Cosatu provincial secretary, Ehrenreich said “Cosatu leadership would decide” later this week.
“There has been an indication that they want me to retain one seat, but if it means I must choose, I will have to choose Cosatu because they have shown faith in me.”
He said he felt “honoured” to have been re-elected, and being opposed, he said it showed that democracy was at work within the organisation.