Workers celebrate May Day Cosatu troubles ‘painful to ANC’

ZUMA: WE HAVE BEEN IN THE TRENCHES WITH THEM

Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa reinforces the need for unity.

Durban

President Jacob Zuma yesterday made an impassioned plea for unity within labour federation Cosatu, whose internal battles are threatening to tear the movement apart.

Addressing thousands of Cosatu-affi liated union members aligned to the federation’s president, S’dumo Dlamini, at a May Day rally in Durban, Zuma spoke about the pain of seeing “comrades” ditching the movement.

“These people leaving are not just individuals, they are comrades whom we have been in the trenches with for decades. It is painful to see these brothers and sisters turning their backs on Cosatu,” Zuma told supporters attending the rally at Curries Fountain Stadium in Durban.

Members of the nine Cosatu union affi liates supporting the federation’s expelled general secretary, Zwelinzima Vavi, had held a parallel event in the Durban CBD where they were addressed by Vavi and the National Metal Union of SA (Numsa) general secretary Irvin Jim.

At Curries Fountain, Zuma said: “What these divisions are doing is to weaken the struggle of workers. We need a strong and united Cosatu to advance the interests of workers.”

He cited legislative amendments by the ANC to the country’s labour laws, such as the Employment Equity Act, as some of the gains made by workers since the advent of democracy in 1994.

“We accept there is still a lot that needs to be done but in acknowledging that fact, we need to also concede that a lot has been done under this government to protect the rights of workers in this country.”

In Welkom in the Free State, Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa also reinforced the need for unity within Cosatu while addressing a Workers’ Day rally.

“Divisions within the labour movement are also a cause of grave concern. We are called upon to safeguard and promote the unity of the alliance,” he said. – Additional reporting by ANA