Cosatu President Zingiswa Losi. Photo: File
Zingiswa Losi
The year 2024 will go down in South Africa’s history, for better, for worse, and in some areas still to be seen. It is natural in the day-to-day media cycle and the ups and downs of our political discourse, to lose sight of important moments and achievements.
Central to our constitutional democracy is Parliament. It is here where we have seen important victories Cosatu has won with our alliance partner, the ANC. And it is also here where we have struggled to secure key demands and must continue to push.
Cosatu actively participates and leads discussions at Nedlac and Parliament, where legislation is drafted, tabled and engaged upon between the executive, business and labour, as well as the various political parties. We do so because laws have the potential to improve the lives of the working class. and because workers can take government and employers to court if they fail to abide by them.
We are guided by the conditions facing our members, their families and the working class, in particular our stubbornly high levels of unemployment, poverty, inequality, crime and corruption. We seek to build a capacitated developmental state that is biased towards workers and the poor and a state that will stand the test of time and will lay the foundations for a socialist society.
Our critics in moments of hysterical laziness state that Cosatu has achieved nothing through the Alliance and we should thus abandon this Alliance which achieved the constitutional democracy, progressive labour laws and transformation agenda that millions benefit from today.
A cursory reflection of Parliament’s achievements during 2024, dispels that myth.
On the 1st of September, the Two-Pot Pension Reforms driven by Cosatu came into effect providing relief to millions of highly indebted workers. They have opened the door for the next round of reforms that the Federation has tabled at Parliament to give workers further relief whilst boosting savings to ensure pension funds support workers during their careers and in retirement. For the first time workers now have a say in how their pension funds are used.
Parliament passed and the President, Cyril Ramaphosa, assented to the National Health Insurance Act setting in place the path towards achieving universal healthcare and ensuring that millions of lives can be saved from easily preventable, identifiable, curable and manageable diseases and that in future workers will not be sent to premature deaths or disabilities simply because of their income.
The Social Relief of Distress (SRD) Grant has not only been retained, and for the first time adjusted for inflation, but is the foundation for the long sought Basic Income Grant. Whilst it is not perfect and has experienced many challenges, it provides relief to millions with no other source of income and is a further step towards a more caring society.
The Climate Change Act has been passed and assented to, requiring all state organs to have climate change assessments and mitigation measures to tackle the greatest threat to the survival of humanity, nature and the planet. It puts in place a Presidential Climate Commission consisting of the most senior leaders of Cabinet, labour, business, civil society and academics.
Workers at the Post Office (Sapo) have endured some of the most brutal experiences. The management of Sapo not only allowed state capture and corruption to take place but also failed to adapt to deep structural changes in their sector. Their response to this betrayal of the public has been to rob workers of their wages and pension contributions and over the past year to retrench over 4 500 employees.
Parliament has passed the Sapo Amendment Bill allowing Sapo to enter the lucrative courier sector and to become a one-stop shop for various government services. The Postbank Amendment Act enables the Postbank to become a fully licensed state bank, helping to provide banking services to millions marginalised by private banks and inject competition into a highly concentrated sector.
In order for the Sapo to survive, the government needs to honour its commitment to its financial relief package, including the cash injection needed now. For Sapo and the Postbank to take off, the state at all levels must utilise them as their postal and banking service providers.
Parliament has indicated it will proceed with the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) Bill, despite the Minister for Communications and Digital Technologies’ announcement to the contrary. It is critical that Parliament asserts its role, expedite this Bill that affirms the public broadcaster’s mandate and role as publicly owned corporation. Government needs to table a financial model that defends the SABC’s constitutional mandate and places it on a path to sustainability.
Treasury has begun engagements on the Public Procurement Act’s Regulations. These and the urgent implementation of this long-sought Act are critical to ensure state procurement is modernised, transparent and accountable; that corruption is tackled and defeated and locally produced goods, jobs and businesses are supported. This Act requires government to show the courage, determination and resources for it to achieve its transformational objectives.
Parliament passed the 2024/25 Budget and Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement yet despite various parties’ progressive policy platforms, it has failed to assert its constitutional authority to demand and where needed, to amend the Budget to ensure a bold stimulus package that will fix the state, grow the economy and slash unemployment.
It is time Parliamentarians show the leadership and courage needed to ensure such a progressive Budget in 2025. They should not continue to act as budgetary bystanders.
This year has seen moments of relief and hope and also despair and pain for workers. Whilst we will not resolve our complex problems in a single year, Parliament has the power to improve the lives of workers step by step. It needs to show the bold and aggressive leadership that our many socio-economic and political challenges demand.
Cosatu will continue to play its part in this strategic site of contestation for workers and to push Parliament to do more to deliver a Better Life for All.
Cosatu President Zingiswa Losi
BUSINESS REPORT