THE ANCWL STATEMENT ON THE COSATU'S COMMENTS ON SASSA-CPS MATTER

2 March 2017

The African National Congress Women's League (ANCWL) has noted the comments by Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) on SASSA-CPS matter. The ANCWL respects the right to freedom of expression, which includes freedom to impart information or ideas. However it is irresponsible in particular from an ANC Alliance partner to make allegations that the SASSA- CPS matter smells of corruption but not lay any corruption charge to the law enforcement agencies. 

The ANCWL's view is that this is just populist posture driven by some CEC members of COSATU who have abonded their duties of strengthening and building worker control-COSATU where workers control the structures and committees of the Federation. These selfish CEC members have consciously abandoned their roles of leading a Federation that must: 

a) Improving material conditions of COSATU members and of the working people as a whole;

b) Organising the unorganised; and 

c) Ensure worker participation in the struggle for peace and democracy principles.

If COSATU is prepared to lay criminal charges for CEO's of companies involved in collusion, what stops them from laying charges on the alleged corruption on SASSA- CPS matter? It is the ANCWL's view that the grandstanding posture of claiming "smell of corruption" is mainly driven by some in COSATU leadership that  have uncontrollable ambition to be deployed into ANC led government positions which includes cabinet positions in parliament.

They create unfounded allegations to assasinate characters of some ANC leaders who are serving in the ANC led government with the hope that those leaders will be recalled and that will be opportunity for them to be deployed. These opportunistic ambitious grandstanders are misusing their positions in COSATU leadership to advance factional politics. They are taking advantage of the current challenges the movement is facing and are driving wedges to position themselves for the coming ANC National elective conference 2017. 

The ANCWL extends an invite to genuine leaders of COSATU who have interests in leading worker's struggles to address the challenges that women are facing in the workplace. Women are still facing discrimination and abuse in the workplace which includes gender pay disparities, sexual abuse and being overlooked for senior positions to mention a few.

Women workers who are facing these atrocities are yearning for a COSATU that is not primarily focusing on who is deployed into the ANC led government but is wholeheartedly there to defend workers rights especially in this time when capitalists and their ilks are unleashing brutality on workers. 

The ANCWL as integral part of the ANC, will continue working tirelessly for the unity of the movement and appeals to COSATU to isolate any of its leaders who have abandoned his / her duties and focusing on causing disunity in the movement or opportunistically using his / her position in the federation to advance selfish narrow agenda. 

A healthy, strong, united, non-factional COSATU is good for the ANC and its leagues. And it's good for the working class of our country. 

Statement issued by Moekgo Matuba, ANCWL Secretary General, 2 March 2017