WORKERS have rejected the ANC in yet another warning ahead of the 2024 elections.
Cosatu delegates who attended the 14th conference at Gallagher Estate in Midrand, Joburg, heckled and booed ANC chairman Gwede Mantashe on Monday, 26 September.
Cosatu has long been angry with government for going back on a salary increase agreement signed in 2018.
Delegates told Mantashe that unless the agreement was honoured, no ANC leader would address them.
ALSO READ:ActionSA announce party's new high-profile member
The anger was visible earlier in the day when delegates sang songs against President Cyril Ramaphosa.
After booing Mantashe, delegates said even Ramaphosa would not be given a platform to address them.
Mantashe was about to deliver an address of support when delegates started singing: “Hamba Gwede, asinamali”.
Talking to journalists on the sidelines, Mantashe said if workers were unhappy with the pay increase, it was an issue for the bargaining council and it was a mistake to make it an alliance matter.
He said him being booed was not a rejection of the ANC as the union federation would not have invited the governing party if that was the case.
The booing started not long after re-elected Cosatu president, Zingiswa Losi, warned the ANC it needed to put its house in order before 2024 or face losing power.
“If the ANC does not deliver quality public services, if it does not tackle corruption, if it does not fix Eskom, if the ANC does not save Metrorail and Transnet, if it does not grow the economy and if it fails to create jobs and provide relief for the unemployed, it will face a repeat of the disastrous 2021 election,” she said.
You must be SIGNED IN to read comments
Losi urged workers to help the ANC rid itself of criminal elements in its ranks, because a government led by opposition parties will mean the end of the many victories workers had scored over the years.
Deputy president Mike Shingange was also re-elected unopposed. Outgoing general secretary, Bheki Ntshalintshali, was not nominated with Solly Phetoe being the only nominated candidate in that position.
