Cosatu consensus on Zuma emerging

COSATU is likely to go to the ANC’s Mangaung conference united in support of a second term for President Jacob Zuma – but that doesn’t mean a return ticket for the rest of the party’s top six, or that the giant federation has become a lapdog.

The need for unity, and the impact that another change of government might have on the state’s already strained ability to deliver, are among the key drivers of what appears to be an emerging consensus at the federation’s 11th congress.

An indication of this lies in the broad endorsement by delegates to the federation’s 11th congress in Midrand of Cosatu’s high-road scenario in the secretariat’s political report. This links the ANC’s commitment to implementing, after Mangaung, more radical social and economic policies – to the dramatic change that former Brazilian president Luiz Lula da Silva brought about in his country.

But Da Silva did this only in his second term, after coming under pressure during his first over conservative economic and fiscal policies and a series of corruption scandals that put his re-election in doubt.

Now Cosatu wants its own “Lula moment”, in the belief that this will pave the way for the full adoption of the Freedom Charter and its promise of an equal society. Yesterday, Vavi said that at Mangaung, the federation would put its weight “behind a comrade that fits that framework”.

The leaders of Cosatu’s top six affiliates – the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), metalworkers’ union Numsa, teachers’ union Sadtu, public sector union Nehawu and transport union Satawu – have all expressed support for a second term for Zuma as ANC president.

Vavi, while cast as being anti-Zuma because of his vocal criticism of the ANC and the government, has not said one way or the other, and Cosatu has agreed not to engage in the ANC’s succession debate yet.

Affiliates and delegates indicated on the sidelines of Cosatu’s 11th national congress in Midrand that there would be backing for continuity in the ANC leadership – although some, like Numsa, would not support the return of all top six officials.

“We want leadership change,” Numsa general secretary Irvin Jim said yesterday.

His deputy, Karl Cloete, told The Mercury that despite “his flaws and weaknesses, Zuma had demonstrated a commitment to the alliance and we want Cosatu to support his retention”.

Encourage

Vavi told delegates this week: “We will encourage our members to assess the leadership of all alliance formations at the right time.”

The ANC has barred structures from the succession debate until the nomination of candidates opens for branches to discuss in October.

Congress delegates canvassed suggested that the status quo be retained at Mangaung – in the same way that the top leadership of the SACP was returned unopposed in July and Cosatu’s top six came back for another term this week.

Lula and his team were able to put in place policies to redistribute wealth. These, combined with state-driven industrial and investment strategies and a basic income for the poor, led to dramatic shifts.

Vavi said this would be possible if Cosatu had a clear political strategy to help it “create our own Lula moment… this is what we want from the ANC”.