Nehawu treasurer demands Cosatu be led by woman

ONE OF the senior members of Cosatu’s biggest trade union, Nehawu, has vowed that the next president of their trade union federation will be a woman.

Yesterday, the national treasurer of the National Health Education and Allied Workers Union, Kgomotso Makhupola, endorsed Cosatu’s second deputy president, Zingisa Losi, as next in line to take over from incumbent president Sdumo Dlamini.

Makhupola was addressing a Women’s Month commemoration in Pretoria in honour of the centenary of the birth of ANC stalwart Albertina Sisulu.

Her endorsement of Losi’s leadership came as Cosatu was preparing for its national elective conference next month, when is it widely expected that Dlamini will step down.

He has been involved in bruising battles with some of his federation leaders, including affiliates complaining about his close association with former ANC president Jacob Zuma ahead of the party’s national elective conference in December last year.

Yesterday, Nehawu members in Tshwane, who organised the event, including some of their national leaders, were adamant about leadership change in Cosatu.

“We are not going to be apologetic in September. She is going to be the first woman president of the federation. There will be no discussions about it,” Makhupola said.

Losi, during her address, also strongly hinted that she might be prepared to take up the helm at Cosatu. She urged women in Cosatu and in their different unions to emulate the leadership character of Sisulu.

“Like Mama Sisulu, when women are called upon to lead, we should not hesitate. Sisulu took up different leadership positions during the dark days of the Struggle. It was not about driving big cars or being in possession of a credit card. It was to serve the people,” Losi said.

According to her, women joined the Struggle because their material conditions dictated to them to rise against their hardships.