Johannesburg - Twelve unionists will be heading to Parliament and the provincial legislatures following the ANC win at the polls.
The Congress of SA Trade Unions (Cosatu) congratulated the leaders on Tuesday.
“We wish them well in their new deployment and hope they will keep the workers’ red flag flying high in the palaces of power,” Cosatu spokesman Patrick Craven said.
Concern has been raised in labour circles that unions should not lose leaders to government as this has weakened Cosatu affiliates. There was also no evidence that the participation of unionists in Parliament and other government structures led to a pro-workers stance from the state. However, the current Cosatu leadership believes the opposite.
The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) is losing its president, Senzeni Zokwana, to the National Assembly.
Other leaders heading that way are Fikile Majola, general secretary of the National Education Health and Allied Workers Union (Nehawu), Nehawu national treasurer Pulani Mogotgsi, and Nehawu second deputy president Priscilla Mantashe.
Cosatu’s KwaZulu-Natal provincial secretary Zet Luzipho and SA Democratic Teachers Union vice-president for arts and culture, Fezeka Loliwe, are also going to the National Assembly.
Joe Mpisi, the first deputy president of Nehawu, and Cosatu’s provincial chair Phutas Tseki, will join the Gauteng Legislature.
Cosatu provincial secretary Sam Mashinini is going to the Free State assembly. Cosatu provincial secretary Dan Sebabi is going to Limpopo, and Cosatu provincial chairman Daniel Melaphi is going to the Western Cape.
And in the Eastern Cape, Cosatu’s provincial chairman Mpumelelo Saziwa, will join the legislature.
The new MPs will be sworn in on Wednesday.
Cape Times