COSATU - SOMETHING IS ROTTEN

Cosatu's elective congress commenced this week.  Thus far, no earth shattering developments, besides the usual factional infighting, and calls for unity.  But, to paraphrase a character in Hamlet, something is rotten in Cosatu.

Cosatu's is in the throes of an upheaval, and  in the words of its president Sudomo Dlamini, the federation "is eating itself".  The federation is no longer relevant to thousands of workers. Moreover, the new generation of skilled workers have no need for a labour union. Their skills allow them to independently negotiate favourable terms of employment.

Cosatu's leaders know the federation is in crisis, but only offer bald allegations of foreign governments, particularly the US, attempting  to destroy Cosatu. In his address, Dlamini commented that "People are pumping money to destroy Cosatu.  After showing America proof they were funding . . . they admitted it."  I suspect, during the course of Dlamini's career as a trade unionist,  he attended The School of Scapegoating, where he learnt, that when all else fails, blame the US.  A nonsensical and plainly stupid ploy.

Public-sector unions are Cosatu's lifeline. It remains to be seen if the line will be severed due to future wage demands.  In the meantime,  Cosatu is the ANC's convenient vote canvasser for retention of political power.

Cosatu's relevance has been reduced to serving the needs of the ANC, and the personal ambitions of its leaders.