Johannesburg - Delegates arrived at the Congress of South African Trade Unions’ summit Monday singing songs proclaiming their preferred leaders.
The organisation’s elective congress is being held in Midrand, Johannesburg, from Monday to Thursday this week.
Dressed in red Cosatu regalia, they sang songs proclaiming the trade union’s president, Sdumo Dlamini, and deputy president, Zingiswa Losi, as their leaders.
They were singing “Uzoz’ balel’ uLosi... uzoz’ balela” (Losi will be our general secretary) as they entered the plenary hall.
Some of the affiliates wanted Losi to be elected general secretary and help strengthen the federation’s secretariat, which they said had been weakened by the dismissal of Zwelinzima Vavi, who held the post previously.
Vavi was dismissed from Cosatu earlier this year for alleged misconduct.
Cosatu, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, is faced with internal divisions and declining membership. Its position and influence within the tripartite alliance is also not what it once was.
The expulsion last year of the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) from Cosatu contributed to the drop in membership. Numsa has more than 300 000 members.
The country’s biggest trade union federation has bemoaned the decline in its membership, which is currently at 1.9 million. The number rose to about 1.9 million in 2000 and about 12 years later in 2012, the number stood at just under 2.2 million members, Cosatu said in its organisational report.
The congress would elect leaders and come up with resolutions on various issues, including how to attract workers who are not union members.
Cosatu was formed in 1985, with Elijah Bahayi as its first president.
ANA