Johannesburg - In a week of scathing wide-spread criticism of the ANC and its government’s blunders, the party’s ally, Cosatu has joined the fray, accusing it of arrogance and condescension towards workers.
The federation which has been diplomatic about its unhappiness with the ANC’s failures also said many workers were frustrated by “lack of coherence among the ANC leadership”.
“They keep giving different positions and changing their decisions. We want to remind the ANC that it owes the workers the manifesto promises and they expect delivery and not arrogance,” said Cosatu spokesman, Sizwe Pamla.
In the strongly worded statement released by Cosatu on Thursday, the federation listed the stalled National Health Insurance, the non-release of the promised Comprehensive Social Security Discussion Paper and the non implementation of a “decent legislated national minimum wage” as indication the government was taking workers for granted.
“Some of the actions of the ANC government make a mockery of the alliance and the attitude and the arrogance of its leaders at both organisational and government level is downright unacceptable. We are annoyed that some ANC leaders have been attacking COSATU for defending the ANC policies and positions like it happened at the Parliaments Joint Standing and Select Committee on Finance public hearings on the Medium Term Budget Policy statement,” Pamla said.
The federation also described government as being on an “offensive” against public sector employees’ salaries as the pressure to reduce the public wage bill mounts.
Cosatu suggested government should rather reduce perks and salaries of political leaders in national and provincial cabinets.
“We are tired of government blaming workers for its failures and we warn them to stop deciding on issues that affect them unilaterally without consultation.”
The statement was one of three consecutive releases by Cosatu on Thursday.
The federation also commented on the release of the Public Protector’s State of Capture report, saying it was important for the country’s growing democracy as it would “hopefully shed some light on the level of influence, corruption and meddling by some sections of business in our government’s affairs. It will also hopefully help answer the pertinent question on the minds of South Africans; whether the Gupta Family has been running our country and looting our resources under the watch of President Zuma and some ministers in government.”
On Tuesday, Cosatu's biggest union, Nehawu issued a statement calling for Zuma's resignation over state failures.
@ThetoThakane
Labour Bureau