Cosatu’s R12 million congress collapse: What went wrong and what happens next - IOL

COSATU’s R12 million national congress was adjourned after credentials disputes prevented the federation from reaching quorum, leaving leadership elections and key worker issues unresolved.

The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) faces the costly task of reconvening its national congress within 30 days after a credentials dispute prevented the gathering from reaching quorum and brought its four-day programme to an early end.

The federation spent about R12 million on its 15th National Congress, which opened on Monday and was adjourned the following day before it could be formally constituted.

The disruption left leadership elections and key discussions on issues affecting workers unresolved.

COSATU president Zingiswa Losi said the federation would look to limit the cost of reconvening, with much of the expenditure from the first gathering already covered.

“It cost us around R12 million,” Losi said.

She said the paperless format meant COSATU would not need to reproduce documents, while T-shirts and banners had already been paid for.

“The only thing we need to deal with is the venue,” Losi said.

The federation is considering a range of options for the next gathering, including cheaper venues.

“Perhaps it will be a stretched tent, perhaps it will be a hospital hall, whatever can take the number of our affiliates. Maybe we will have a marquee, or go to churches where we can borrow tents, or go and hire those charismatic churches that are big,” she said.

Losi said COSATU would also examine other areas where expenditure could be reduced.

“What we may need to look at are the cost implications, and where to downsize. Because now it’s no longer about flowers. We have the T-shirts, we are wearing them; our congress is a paperless congress, and we have the banners. It means there are costs that we are not going to re-incur, they are there, they are done,” she said.

The immediate obstacle was a dispute over delegate credentials, with some affiliates having delegates at the venue but not formally submitting their credentials to the Secretariat. Without the credentials, those delegates could not be counted towards the quorum required to constitute the congress.

Losi said an affiliate’s refusal to submit its credentials ultimately prevented the required quorum from being reached.

The dispute was not limited to the issue involving Mike Shingange. Disagreements and delegate infighting over his status led supporting unions (such as the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) to withhold credentials.

The South African Commercial, Catering and Allied Workers' Union (SACCAWU) also challenged the number of delegates allocated to it, with the union arguing that its membership figures entitled it to 160 delegates rather than the 140 allocated.

A further 20 people were expected to attend as observers, adding to the disagreement over SACCAWU’s representation at the congress.

The Labour Court subsequently ruled that Shingange’s precautionary suspension from Nehawu did not prevent him from participating in the COSATU National Congress or contesting leadership positions.

However, the ruling did not resolve the separate credentials dispute that ultimately prevented the congress from reaching quorum.

Losi rejected the idea that the adjournment represented a victory for either side of the internal disputes.

“This is not a victory for one side or a defeat for another. There are no winners when Cosatu is defeated,” she said.

She said the pause should give affiliates time to lower tensions and find a way forward that protects the unity and integrity of the federation.

The adjournment also left COSATU’s broader programme unfinished, with delegates unable to deliberate on the economic, workplace and social pressures facing workers.

Losi said these included unemployment, inequality, poverty, retrenchments, occupational health and safety, gender-based violence and the impact of artificial intelligence on jobs.

“It has a potential in the sense that workers sent leaders and delegates to this 15th National Congress firstly to deal with the socioeconomic issues that are confronting them,” she said.

The congress was also expected to consider COSATU’s political positions, including its relationship with the ANC and SACP ahead of the local government elections.

Losi said it was too early to attribute the adjournment to political influence, as the congress had not reached the stage of political discussions.

“We cannot at this stage say what happened at congress is driven by political influence, because there were no political discussions that took place,” she said.

The South African Communist Party (SACP) called on COSATU to resolve its internal challenges and use its reconvened congress to refocus on issues affecting workers.

The party said it respected COSATU’s organisational independence and supported the unity of the federation and the broader progressive trade union movement.

“The SACP stands for Cosatu’s unity and the broader unity of the entire progressive trade union movement,” it said.

The SACP said workers needed a stronger trade union movement to confront mass retrenchments, unemployment and the impact of technological change, including artificial intelligence.

It also highlighted workers affected by municipalities failing to pay their salaries and raised concerns about restructuring, privatisation, outsourcing, austerity, corruption, maladministration and governance failures.

The party urged COSATU to use the reconvened congress to focus on improving workers’ living and working conditions and developing a programme of action around these challenges.